Fox Fire 2
by swirlheart
Summary: Sequel to Fox Fire. There's an issue in the Leaf and people start to go missing. Naruto becomes a kitsune again to help solve the problem. But just when all seems settled, a new issue arises and so does a new enemy. Rated T for battle scenes mostly. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

**Fox Fire 2**

Sequel to Fox Fire. There's an issue in the Leaf and people start to go missing. Naruto becomes a kitsune again to help solve the problem. But just when all seems settled, a new issue arises and so does a new enemy. R&R please.

Naruto and its characters belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction. I make no profit. This was just written for fun. The only thing I own is my imagination and the OCs that appear.

 **Chapter 1:**

Day in and day out, it was either training or missions. Naruto and his team were getting one mission after another. For that, Naruto was very thankful. What he wasn't thankful for were the series of ungrateful and difficult people he had to deal with on these missions. There were plenty of them. Thankfully, their missions had come to an end and they were finally given a few days off. Naruto wasn't as bored as he normally would have been and was actually glad to have a few days off to rest. He rested for the first half of one day then was up and about looking for things t do and people to pester.

Few people were around and even fewer who could be bothered. Lee took a break from his current training to spar with Naruto for a bit. After that it was right back to more push-ups. Naruto tried to spend some time with Sakura but she wanted to spend some time away from him, having been on constant missions with him for the past few weeks. He tried seeing what Kiba was up to but he was busy. Shikamaru was his next stop but he didn't want to get up, much less actually do something with him. He was content where he was on the roof of one of his favorite napping places.

For a while, Naruto wandered alone trying to come up with things to do. He was very tempted to summon up some clones out of desperation when he found Kakashi sitting down at the ramen shop by himself. Thinking he could get a free meal, Naruto went over to say hello. Unfortunately for him, Kakashi was just leaving.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, do you have any training you want me to do or some new jutsu I can work on?"

"Not today, Naruto. Go enjoy your day off."

"But..." He wasn't enjoying it if he was spending all his time alone. He wanted to be with people and actually do something.

Out of sheer boredom, Naruto went to ask the Hokage if there were any new missions he could go on. He would even go on a D-rank mission if he had to. When he arrived, Tsunade was busy doing some paperwork at her desk and didn't want to be bothered.

"Please, granny. There has to be something."

"Why don't you count the leaves on the tree outside if you're so bored?" she told him.

"Ugh!" Naruto sat on the floor and folded his arms. He wasn't leaving until he thought of something else he could do or until he got an assignment. "There has to be something... Anything..."

Tsunade pointed to the door. "Out."

Naruto dragged himself out the door and back into daylight. There was always training if nothing else. At this point, he was so bored that thought no longer appealed to him. Shikamaru would take a nap if he were bored but Naruto just couldn't sleep anymore. Plus, he didn't want to be alone. Training would be lonely since he would be by himself.

On his way back to his home, he notice a dog sticking its nose in a trashcan and pulling out scraps of discarded food. In that moment, Naruto was reminded of his kitsune friends he left back on the mountain from one of his past missions. It had been so long since he had last thought of them. He missed them. It had been a few months since he had left the town where he met them, and so far there wasn't a need to return. Things must have been peaceful in that town again.

The dog ran off and Naruto returned to his home.

* * *

The Leaf Village slept soundly that night in quiet peace. Naruto himself had settled into bed without any further complaints about having nothing to do. He left his window wide open as he slept in his bed, cuddling up to his wadded up blanket. He was sleeping so soundly, he didn't hear the dog barking outside somewhere in the distance. Nor did he notice the shadow creeping in through his open window.

* * *

The next morning, Naruto awoke to the smell of food being cooked in the homes outside his window. It got his stomach growling so he got up. He scratched an itch on his neck and looked around his bedroom for a clear path to the kitchen. Ramen would be his breakfast of choice again. As he started to get out of bed, his foot pinched something that made him yelp in pain. Whatever it was, it was attached to his body. Naruto reached down and yanked the appendage, feeling pain shoot up his spine, as if he had just struck his tailbone. He got on his hands and knees and looked behind him at the orange tail wagging back and forth at him.

"What the hell?" Naruto gave it another tug. It was attached to his body alright. The question was why? How did this tail show up and why? He knew this couldn't have been a result of the nine-tailed fox inside him. Those tails were different and made of chakra. Not to mention they only showed up under extreme circumstances, like if he were furious or under some other form of stress, usually in the heat of battle if he didn't properly control it. He had gone through training to better control it and he could. Plus he knew what it felt like and this wasn't anything like it. This was very different and it had nothing to do with the nine-tailed fox.

Maybe this was some sort of trick. Maybe a genjutsu? Naruto tried dispelling it but it didn't get rid of the tail. Clearly this wasn't a jutsu. Then what was it? Naruto tried searching his room for answers.

He found one on the windowsill.

Slowly, Naruto walked over for a better look. It was a single peach with a tiny leaf still attached to the stem. There were teethmarks in the fuzzy peach flesh. Naruto picked it up and ran his fingers over the teethmarks as if trying to read a hidden message left behind in the flesh.

There was no mistaking it.

"It must be..." Naruto dropped the peach on the bed and stood in the center of his room. He had to test it to be sure. "Fox fire!"

A blue flame shot from his tail as he rubbed it and sent the flames into the pile of laundry on the floor. The clothes were set ablaze.

"Oh, crap!" Naruto ran to the pile to beat out the flames. The fire was out and only a few articles of clothing were singed.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. Then gasped with excitement, realizing what this meant. He was a kitsune again.

A small part of Naruto was thinking rationally, wandering why this was happening and who brought this curse upon him. It must have been a curse. There was no other explanation. It was a different curse of course. The first time this happened, he only changed at night against his will. Now he had a tail in the morning when the sun was shining. He knew it must have been the kitsune he had become friends with. If it were an enemy, they wouldn't have left that peach sitting there on his window. It was a symbol. An important one. However, if this curse was given to him by one of his kitsune friends, why? Why would any of them do that?

Another, stronger part of his mind was too excited to think about it. He had to show it off. He wanted to tell his friends and show them his fox magic skills. He couldn't before and now he could to his heart's content.

In a flash, Naruto was running down the street in search of his friends. When he saw a pink head bobbing through the crowd of shoppers, he sped up. "Sakura!" He dove into the crowd and grabbed her by the arm. "Sakura! Sakura, guess what!"

Sakura dropped her bag when Naruto grabbed her. She pulled her arm from his grip and gave him a sour look. "What?! Why are you running around and grabbing people like an idiot?"

"Sakura, check it out!" Naruto turned around to show her his tail. "Ta-da! Neat, huh?"

Sakura looked and frowned. "I give up. What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"Huh?" Naruto looked behind him but there was no tail to be found. "What?! But it was just here! What happened?" Naruto ran in a circle, chasing an invisible tail. He couldn't understand it.

Sakura gathered her bag and continued shopping. "Good luck with whatever you're doing."

"But..! But..."

He couldn't understand it. He knew it was there. He could feel it and everything. He had the scorched clothing to prove it. It wasn't a dream and it wasn't a trick. He knew it was real.

"Maybe the curse wore off?" Naruto wondered aloud. "I did change slowly before. Little by little. Maybe it's the same thing."

Naruto couldn't put it out of his mind. He kept dwelling on it and wondered what was happening. He knew he had a tail. That part was real. Maybe this was a different curse with different rules. His first curse forced him to change at night. When he discovered his tail, it was morning. During the first few minutes of his transformation from his first curse, it happened in stages. After that, the change was sudden and noticeable. Perhaps this curse was a similar way and only a few parts of him would change at a time. If that was the case, then it seemed to be running in reverse this time. His first experience had him change slowly from human to fox, not the other way around. This time he seemed to be changing from fox back to human more slowly. Or so it seemed.

"I've got to test it."

Naruto went into the park and tried to force himself to change into a fox. He had a feeling that this curse was different from the first. He stood among the trees and tried to cast his fox fire. It wasn't working. Apparently he could only use it as a fox. He had to change into a fox, but how? Naruto tried to will himself into a transformation but he couldn't tell if it was working or not. He kept checking behind himself to see if he was growing a tail. So far he wasn't.

"This sucks." Naruto sat on the ground to think. "Maybe acting like a fox will do the trick."

Ryosuke had once told him that he had to stop thinking like a human if he wanted to be a fox. That was during his hunting experience when he kept trying to catch mice in the dark with his hands, which at the moment were paws. Only when he stopped behaving as a human did things work out for him. The same principal must work in this case. He had to become a fox by being a fox.

"Here goes nothing." Naruto crouched on all fours and started trotting. Nothing yet. He started running. Running like this made him feel like he was about to tumble forward since his legs were longer than his arms. He ran quickly hoping for a change. He could feel the dirt sticking to his hands as he ran.

"What are you doing, Naruto?"

Naruto tripped and somersaulted across the lawn. He quickly rolled to a sudden stop and looked at the speaker. It was Choji. He was walking with Shikamaru down the stone pathway through the trees. Judging from the looks on their faces, they had seen everything.

"Uh... training."

"Training?"

Naruto nodded. "Yup."

"What kind of training?" asked Choji.

"Um... Special training."

"... Uh-huh."

Naruto folded his arms and huffed. As soon as he did, the expressions on his friends' faces changed. "What?"

Shikamaru pointed to his head. "Your, uh... ears."

"My ears?" Naruto reached up to touch the top of his head. He felt furry ears. Fox ears. "I knew it."

A moment later, they were gone.

"What's with Naruto?" Choji asked.

"Who knows?" Shikamaru shrugged. He assumed this was just typical Naruto so he tried not to question it. Naruto was a playful type of person, full of energy and wanting attention. As far as the ears were concerned, it might have been him using a jutsu. Naruto did say he was training. Honestly, Shikamaru didn't care. Which was why he didn't think about it or want answers. He just wanted to move on with his life and not dwell on anything Naruto was doing or for what reason.

"Guys! Guys!" Naruto ran over to them. "You saw that, right? My ears? Was there anything else? Did you see a tail or something? Fur? Anything?" He was very excited and could hardly contain himself.

"What's going on with you, Naruto?" asked Choji. "What are you getting so excited about?"

"I told you, I'm training." It wasn't that far from the truth. He was trying to get into his fox form. In order to do that, he had to do something akin to training.

"Training for what?"

"I'm trying to turn into a fox!"

"So a transformation jutsu?" said Choji. "But that's basic level stuff. I mean, can't you already do that? I saw you turn into Akamaru before, so becoming an animal isn't that difficult."

Naruto blinked. "Akamaru..."

Akamaru was a dog. He would be able to sense that Naruto was a kitsune. Maybe seeing him would spark something inside and cause something to happen. Naruto wasn't sure what, but he wanted to test it out and see for himself.

"Hey, you guys know where Kiba is? I need to see Akamaru real quick."

"No idea. Why?"

Naruto put his hands on his hips. "I could try tracking their scent but... No, not like this. I would have to be a fox to do that."

"So what is going on, Naruto?" Choji asked him. "You're acting different."

"Ok, I'll tell you." Naruto wanted to tell all his friends anyway. "I went on a mission a few months back and got a curse put on me by a kitsune that turned me into a fox at night. After he was defeated, the curse was broken. But this morning I woke up and had a fox tail but it went away. I made some kitsune friends while I was cursed the first time and I know at least one of them came to my place because they left me a message. I think one of them put a new curse on me that lets me become a kitsune again. Now I'm trying to control it and change but it doesn't seem to be going well. So I'm training to be able to transform myself into my fox form."

"Aw, that sounds really cool, Naruto," said Choji.

"But if these guys are your friends, why would they put a curse on you?" asked Shikamaru.

"I don't know. Maybe they needed to for some reason. I can try asking them if I see them. Kitsune appear at night so I'll have to wait and see then." Naruto looked down at his human body. "If only I can figure this out and transform at will. I'm sure I can. This isn't like the first time so I know."

He knew this curse's transformation wasn't exclusive. He could change into either form at will. At least, that's what he thought.

"If only I can figure out the trigger. That way I can change whenever I want."

"Well, what were you feeling when you got your ears a second ago?" Choji asked.

"Uh..." Naruto tried to think. "I'm not sure. I was trying to act like a fox so I would change."

"That's one way to go about it, but maybe it's an emotional thing." Choji turned to Shikamaru. "What do you think?"

Shikamaru sighed. "I guess we can help him out."

"Help me out?" Naruto was intrigued. "How?"

"Since it seems to be triggered through emotions, we'll go off of that. If it doesn't work, then go back to acting like a fox and we'll see from there." Choji cracked his knuckles. "Ok! Ready?"

"Sure! But how are you going to..?"

Choji punched Naruto in the face.

"Ow! Hey!"

"What? We're helping you."

"By hitting me?!" Fox ears popped out of the top of his head again.

"It's working." Choji pointed. "See? You've got your fox ears again."

Naruto touched the top of his head. "Awesome! But do you have to hit me?"

"If it works." Choji made a fist.

Naruto flinched and sprang back to avoid it. It was reflex. Choji came after him, having a little too much fun with it than Naruto would have liked. Naruto ran from him, trying to avoid being hit. Choji called after him, saying how it was all for his training, but Naruto didn't want to just stand around and get punched. They ran around in circles until Shikamaru froze Naruto in place with his shadow. He couldn't move.

"Sorry, Naruto. But you wanted help." Choji took aim at his head.

A tail popped up next and Naruto screamed. "No! Don't!"

Shikamaru's attention went to the shadow which was starting to ripple and bend. His jutsu wasn't working properly. Naruto started to gain some movement over his limbs and the next thing he knew, Naruto was free and running away on all fours.

Naruto stopped and looked at his friends, wondering if they were going to attack again. He looked more fox-like now. In addition to his tail and ears, he was also sporting paws and a muzzle.

"It's working!" Choji cheered. "Check it out, Naruto."

Naruto looked at his body and sprang up cheering. When he sprang, his body became one-hundred percent fox.

Shikamaru blinked. "Whoa." Then he grinned. "How about that?"

Naruto saw what had become of his body and he was celebrating. "Whoo-hoo!" He stopped jumping and became a human again. He stood on his two legs and ruffled his own hair. "Thanks, guys. I guess it did help me. Not so much the punching but me feeling those emotions." Anger, fear and joy. When he felt those emotions, his body changed. He was feeling joy right this moment, but he was a human. He didn't fully understand his curse, but he was thankful to have transformed into a full kitsune, even if it was only for a few seconds.

"Naruto, I think we need to be serious for a minute," said Shikamaru. "You said that this was a curse and that your friends did it. You don't know why. You also mentioned that this had happened once before. I think you need to talk to the Hokage about this."

"Why? What would she know about curses?"

"Not so much that as why this is happening to you. If your own friends put a curse on you, there must be a reason for it. It may be really important. It could effect the whole village. Not just you. Would they have traveled all this way just for a prank?"

Shikamaru had a point. Only a two-tailed fox could actually use curse. Ryosuke was the only two-tailed fox in that group and he vowed to never use the curse on anyone on account of what happened with Reevo, the wicked fox. There must have been a reason for it. Besides of which, the kitsune were reluctant to leave their home in the mountain. Why would they leave now all of a sudden? There was more to this.

"You're right. But what do I tell her? That I'm cursed and don't know much more than that?"

"Just start with the basics," advised Shikamaru. "Go from there. Or try to find your fox friends and ask them what's going on."

"Right. I'll go do that now." Naruto thanked his friend for their help and took off to talk to the Hokage.

On his way, he ran into Sakura again, leaving the flower shop. She must have been visiting Ino.

He couldn't resist. Something inside Naruto wanted to show off and tell Sakura all about his curse. He wanted to make a game out of it and have fun, like a child dying to tell someone a secret. He had these feelings a lot when he was younger, but now that he was maturing, those feelings weren't as strong. He still had a playful side, which caused a lot of these feelings, but he had a good sense of responsibility, too. Suddenly getting the urge to play and mess around seemed a little odd to him now. He could tell Sakura later, but something in him wanted to do it now. Not just tell her, but have fun with it.

Unable to shake the feeling, Naruto went over to Sakura to show off. "Hey, Sakura. Guess what?"

Reminded of this morning, Sakura sighed. "What?"

Naruto concentrated on feelings of excitement and joy, feeling them swell within his body until they were ready to pop. And pop they did. Naruto sprang, eager to give Sakura a show and upon doing so, his ears and tail popped out and his face covered with fur. "Ta-da!"

Startled, Sakura jumped back. "Naruto?"

"See? I told you it was neat!" Naruto gave her a foxy grin. He giggled cheerfully, having a lot of fun with this.

Sakura grabbed him and pulled him out of the street. "What's wrong with you? What is this?"

"What?"

Sakura grabbed his tail and yanked. "This!"

"Ow! Stop that! It hurts."

"What's going on with you right now? What is all this? Are you ok? What are you thinking?"

Naruto didn't understand her panic at first. Then his rational mind took control of the situation, realizing what she must have been thinking. "No, no. It's not the fox. Those are different. It would be chakra related. This is-"

"Come on!" Sakura dragged him to the Hokage building. He didn't complain much since this was where he wanted to go in the first place.

Sakura knocked on the door to Tsunade's office but no one answered. Sakura opened the door and looked inside. No one was there.

"Sakura, it's fine. Listen, I-"

"Where could she be? At a meeting maybe?" Sakura looked up and down the hall, thinking out loud to herself. "Oh! Shizune!" Sakura pulled Naruto along.

Shizune turned around. "Oh. Sakura." Shizune looked out of breath. Sakura must have caught her in the middle of a run. "Sakura, I'm a little..."

"We need to see Lady Tsunade right away. It's about Naruto." She shoved him forward but by this time his ears and tail were gone. Even his fur had vanished. "It's important."

"But..."

"Where is she?"

"Uh... She's..." Shizune looked nervous. "She's... She's in a meeting and can't be bothered right now."

"Then can you help us please? I'm worried about Naruto. Some fox features have been-"

"Sakura!" Naruto had to get a word in. "I'm trying to explain to you! There's nothing wrong. It's not the nine-tailed fox or anything. It's ok. I know what this is."

Naruto faced both women and explained.

"Remember when I got cursed during that one mission a few months ago? Sakura, you got cursed, too, so you know what I'm talking about. I turned into a kitsune at night. I got cursed again some time last night. That's what this is. It's just a kitsune curse. That's all. Nothing to worry about. Only with this one I don't change at night like a were-fox. I can change anytime I want. I'm still trying to control it, but there's nothing to worry about."

"A curse?" repeated Shizune.

"Yeah. I can sort of control it. I'll get better. Hang on." Naruto tried to force himself to change. It was easier this time. His tail popped out and wagged behind him. "See?"

"Naruto, even if it is a curse, we still don't know what this could do to the seal on the nine-tailed fox," said Sakura. "That's why I'm worried. I really think we should talk to the Hokage about this."

"But I was cursed before and nothing happened with the seal. Trust me. I know what's going on. There's nothing to worry about."

"Even so, I side with Sakura that it is a concern we have to watch out for."

"Especially if this is a different curse from the first time. Who knows what could happen?" Sakura blinked. "Hey, wait. You said it's a kitsune curse like before? But I thought that fox was defeated. How did this happen again?"

"It was one of my kitrsune friends. They left me a message on my window. But I don't know which one cursed me or why."

"Well, don't you think you should find out?"

"Yeah, that's something to look into."

Naruto sighed. "I know, I know. I plan on asking them when I find them."

"Where are they?" asked Shizune.

"Don't know." Naruto shrugged. "But I'll find them. We're friends."

Shizune nodded. "Ok. I remember you telling Milady about this a few months ago. These kitsune things." Shizune looked troubled. "In either case, you must speak to them about this curse and find out what's going on."

"I said I would."

"Good." Shizune nodded again. "I'd like a word with them, too."

Naruto nearly gasped. "Wait, no!"

"What?"

"Most of the kitsune are afraid of humans and avoid them whenever possible. I doubt having a conversation with one would work. I'd never get them to come to a meeting with humans. It's risky for them to even be in the village with all these people around. They know me so they'll talk to me no problem."

Shizune still looked troubled. "I see. But in any case, we need to make sure these kitsune aren't a threat so I'll have some guards around your place in case this goes south."

"No!" Naruto's tail went stiff. "Weren't you listening? I said they avoid humans! If you place ninja around my place, they'll never come! Meeting with them and asking what's going on would be impossible. And since I have no idea where to find them, I have to wait for them to come to me. And even if I did know where they were, they won't see me with humans following me around. You have to let me do this on my own. Please."

They had no choice. Meeting with the kitsune was the only way to get answers. If humans prevented that meeting from taking place, then they had to make sure humans weren't involved. Even if they were placed at a distance, kitsune were foxes so they would be able to sense them and flee.

"Alright," Shizune sighed. "You meet with them and report back with any information they tell you. Just be careful."

"They're my friends. I know what I'm doing."

Shizune still wore a troubled expression. Something told Naruto it was for a different reason but he had no evidence to back it up. Still, after all this time, Naruto learned to trust his gut.

* * *

Here's the first chapter. I hope we're off to a good start.

Please enjoy.

And please review ^-^


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Naruto was so excited to have his kitsune powers back. He couldn't wait to try them out. He had a few hours before dark so he decided to use his powers on some unsuspecting friends. He always had a passion for pranks. Having kitsune powers just made it more interesting.

He stalked the streets for victims. It had been a while since he had used his kitsune powers so he decided to start small. He spotted some of his friends hanging out together on a park bench. Lee was a little further away doing handstands in the grass. Naruto gave a foxy grin and gave in to his impulse. "Fox fire."

An illusion appeared in front of Lee. It was Neji and he asked Lee to a quick battle. Lee was all too happy to comply. He sprang into a fighting stance and made the first move. The illusion evaded every blow. Lee chased the illusion around the park, trying to land a hit.

The real Neji was sitting on a bench talking to Tenten. Naruto guided the illusion over to the bench and dispelled it. When Lee saw Neji on the bench, he hurried over to finish what he started. He leaped into the air and kicked Neji in the face. "I got you now, Neji!"

Unprepared, Neji didn't have any time to block. He was thrown from his seat and into the grass. He quickly got up and gave Lee a dirty look. "What did you do that for? I thought you were training by yourself. Don't attack me when my back is turned! I'm not even involved! Next time you decide to attack me, make sure I agree to it first."

"But..." Lee said timidly. "But you did. Just a moment ago you asked me to spar with you."

"I did not."

"Yes, you did. I was over there and you came up to me and asked me to a fight. Then you dodged everything I threw at you and..." Lee gave Neji the play-by-play of what happened. He gave every single detail but Neji stuck to his story, telling Lee that none of it ever happened.

Naruto started giggling from his hiding place and Neji took notice. "What's so funny? Did you have something to do with this?"

"Uh..." Naruto panicked. "Bye!" He quickly ran off to find someone else to mess with.

Before long, Naruto came across another victim sleeping in one of his favorite napping spots. Shikamaru lay flat on his back with his arms tucked behind his head in the shade. He had the perfect view of the sky from this rooftop with a little canopy to shade him from the hot sun. Since he was asleep, Naruto decided to manipulate his dreams, as another thing kitsune were capable of.

"Fox fire."

The small flame danced over Shikamaru's head, molding his dreams into whatever Naruto wanted. Since Shikamaru didn't like to do anything if he could help it, Naruto decided to give him a dream where he had to do a lot of chores. Shikamaru frowned in his sleep, dreaming of an impossible workload he couldn't get out of. Naruto giggled, enjoying this.

He was about to give Shikamaru a dream where he was on a date with a frog, when suddenly the flame over Shikamaru's head disappeared and the ninja opened his eyes. He looked straight at Naruto and said, "What are you doing?"

"Umm... Nothing." That ability only worked if the person was sleeping. If they woke up, the spell ended. Naruto saw no reason to hang around if Shikamaru's dreams could no longer be manipulated and ran off to find someone else.

Naruto spotted Sakura next and was very tempted to do something to her since she was alone. He couldn't transform as a kitsune since he didn't possess enough tails, so Naruto used an illusion instead.

Sakura turned around and saw Kakashi standing behind her. "What is it?" she asked the illusion.

Naruto managed to fool Lee but fooling Sakura would be harder. He could not fool a person's sense of hearing so when he had the illusion of Neji challenge Lee, Naruto was using his own voice, moving Neji's lips so it appeared as though Neji were the one speaking. Lee never questions why Neji sounded so much like Naruto, but Sakura might notice.

Unfortunately, Naruto was too impulsive to consider that and did the same thing he had done before, speaking for the illusion as he manipulated its lips.

"There's an emergency, Sakura," the illusions appeared to say. "There's no time to explain, but you must help."

"What can I do?" Sakura asked, playing along.

"You must remove your shirt at once."

Sakura punched through the illusion of Kakashi to get to Naruto standing right behind it. "As if!" The illusion disappeared and Sakura's punch sent Naruto tumbling down the street. "Just talk to the kitsune tonight, Naruto, and stop messing around!"

Taking her advice, he put the rest of his pranks on hold.

* * *

Naruto could barely sleep that night, nor did he want to. He was too excited about meeting up with his kistune friends after all these months. He wondered how they were doing and what they were up to. He was curious about many things other than what was important to the situation and the questions Shizune wanted answers to.

Naruto sat on his bed, tail swishing from side to side. He hoped they would show up. He hoped Shizune didn't send ninja out despite his warnings not to. He swung his legs, waiting. He flopped down on his bed and rolled from side to side, restlessly. He sat up again and played with his tail. He looked at the clock. It was after midnight. Most of the village was asleep at this hour. This was prime time for kitsune.

Naruto's tail started wagging. His sensitive fox ears picked up a sound outside his window. He held his breath.

A fox appeared on his windowsill and smiled happily at him. Naruto recognized him right away, even in the moonlight. "Naruto!"

"Seki!" Naruto jumped off the bed and ran to him. Seki pounced from the open window and soared into Naruto's chest. They embraced each other, laughing joyously. "It's so good to see you!"

"I've missed you, Naruto!"

Naruto gasped. "Seki! Your tail!"

Seki wagged his tails. "Yup!" he smiled proudly. "I'm a two-tails now."

"That's amazing!"

"I know! It just split at the end of last month. Aurora is a two-tails now, too. Hers split less than two weeks ago."

"That's great."

"Know what's really great? Ryosuke. He's got three tails now."

"Three?!"

"Yup! Last month. We're very proud."

"He's got to be, like, super strong now!"

"Yeah! He has his own human form now, too. He doesn't use it much."

"Oh, yeah! You guys said you get your own human form when you become a three-tails. That's so cool. How's Ryosuke doing?"

"Great! Oh, things in the mountain are better than ever and the town is doing very well, too. It's great."

"Tell me all about it."

Naruto sat on the bed with Seki and they caught up. As Naruto listened, his body shifted from hybrid to full fox, something he had no control of. He didn't mind it. He just wanted to catch up with his friend. It had been so long since he spoke with Seki and they were good friends. He was very happy to see him.

"The offerings really helped. Prince Akio kept to his word and we get offerings every night. As a result, the plants have grown back and animals have started returning. In fact, the population went up so we can hunt whenever we want and not have to worry about depleting it. Not only that, but the humans have more meat now, something they didn't have before. Hunting is restricted but they still get their meat, though I'm not sure how."

"Maybe they trade it or have the farm," Naruto suggested.

"Well, the farm is doing very well. With all the wild animals we have in the mountain now, there's plenty of meat. We decided to help the humans out and give the farmer some of the meat from the mountain. Now the humans have a lot more variety to eat and sell. It's great. Also, Jack is doing well. Sometimes we sneak down to talk to him. Not as often as we did and not is as many numbers. But he's doing well. We keep in touch."

Jack was the horse Naruto and the kitsune befriended on the farm who spent his whole life on the farm never knowing about the mountain or the town. The kitsune would share stories about both with him and sneak him carrots from the garden. Naruto liked him very much. Jack loved the kitsune dearly and wanted them to have a good life. It looked like he got his wish.

"How's Ryosuke doing?"

"Ryosuke's doing great," said Seki. "The prince wanted to meet with him but Ryosuke wasn't sure. He finally agreed to and they meet every now and again to discuss business. They tell each other things that happen in the mountain and town and what is good and what can be improved. They're become good friends, too. The prince is very good to us and to his people. We've returned the favor."

"Like bringing rare meat and stuff?"

"Yeah, things like that. Other stuff, too."

"Oh, speak of which, you want something to eat?" Naruto offered. "I've got plenty."

"Sure."

Naruto showed Seki to the kitchen. "I have some fruit and things on the table. I have instant ramen I can boil up. You want some?"

"I've never had it. Is it good?"

"It's the best!" Naruto started boiling the water. "I have a couple flavors left. You like shrimp or chicken better? I ate all the others. I need to go shopping. Oh, yeah. How's your brother doing, by the way?"

"Reki is doing well. We couldn't be parted for the past two months. I was catching up as much lost time as I could. He's not a pup so I can't be with him all the time. He needs to do things on his own, too. With Reevo no longer around, I don't have to worry about much happening to him."

"Good to hear. Did he come with you?"

"No. He's still at the mountain with the others. I came alone."

Naruto served Seki the instant ramen on the floor and sat down with him. "So why did you come here in the first place? I thought you guys never left the mountain."

"We don't. But this was important." Seki sniffed the ramen and sat back, waiting for it to cool. Just by sniffing he knew it was too hot to eat.

"What's so important? And why was I cursed?" If Seki was here alone and had two tails, that meant he must have been the one who cast it.

Seki watched the steam leave the ramen cup as he spoke. "You recall when we mentioned other creatures living around and part of what we do is keep the dangerous ones away from the mountain and the town?"

"Yeah, sounds familiar."

"Well, we're not the only kitsune in existence. Not long ago, a couple showed up at the mountain and demanded we leave. They wanted the land for themselves. We welcomed them to share it and live with us but they refused. They spoke about tormenting humans and doing terrible things. Ryosuke sent them away and told them to never return. He swore if they harmed a single human, he would kill them."

Harming a human alone was bad enough as it was, but Ryosuke and the other kitsune had additional reasons for being opposed to it. They lived in peace with humans for starters, their ancestors advising them to be good to humans so they would all be left in peace. That way humans would have no reason to hunt them. Reevo didn't abide by these rules and found it more fun to torment humans. He did it so much, it started to breed hatred. One such human loathed foxes so much, he killed any he caught in his sight, including Seki's older brother. He was made into a pelt and mounted on the wall. Due to this, kitsune didn't harm humans because they didn't want to be thought of as dangerous and be attacked.

The first time such a thing happened, it was complete chaos. It nearly started a war in the town. All because Reevo thought it was funny and wanted them to kill each other. If these new kitsune wanted to do the same thing, history might repeat itself. Ryosuke was right to threaten them and chase them away. A war between humans and kitsune was something no one wanted to start.

"They challenged Ryosuke and lost. Still, they refused to leave," Seki went on. "Since they couldn't defeat Ryosuke and we outnumbered them, they threatened to attack our allies. They said they would go to the village where you lived and take over that village instead. They called you by name."

"My name?" Naruto was baffled. "Do I know them? You're the first kitsune I ever met."

"I doubt you met. They just got the information from elsewhere. But Ryosuke got worried. He swore to protect you. But he couldn't go rushing off to your village."

"Why?"

"For two main reasons," said Seki. "One, he has his own home to protect. He couldn't just abandon us. Second, if he left, that would leave the town and the land vulnerable and open to attack. He wouldn't be able to defend it. Which may have been what they wanted him to do in the first place. They could have been lying to try and get him to leave so they could take over when he was gone. If that happened, the humans would all be targets."

Naruto let out a deep breath. "You're right. He couldn't just leave. Not like that."

"But he didn't want you to suffer either. Not for being our friend. So I offered to go in his place and see that you were alright. He gave me his blessing and I left. I didn't sense them in your village but I did sense them further away so I knew they were looking for your home. I got here first."

"How'd you know where I lived?"

"You told us all about your home, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I forget. What about the curse?"

Seki sniffled the ramen. It was finally cool enough but Seki didn't eat yet. Not until he explained. "To help you. Remember? Even you said you wouldn't have been a match for Reevo unless you were a kitsune. Being a kitsune will give you an advantage. You will be able to see through a kitsune's deception. Plus, as long as you're cursed, you can't be cursed a second time. It's to protect you and to help you."

Of course! Being both human and kitsune gave him an advantage. He could do anything either form allowed him. All the powers of a ninja and a kitsune. He still remembered his kitsune training. There were many things he could do to defend himself against a kitsune attack. For one, kitsune were immune to jutsu. If Naruto came across a kitsune, his jutsu would be ineffective. Nothing would work. He would have to attack with only physical attacks and weapons. If a kitsune trapped him in an illusion, he would be helpless. A kitsune could see through illusions, so that was another advantage. The list went on.

Having this curse was a blessing. Not to mention how he wasn't restricted by the time of day for this curse. He could change at any time. So if the situation called for him to be either kitsune or human, he could do it.

"Thanks for looking out for me, Seki."

"You're welcome." Seki plunged his muzzle into the ramen cup. "I can't fully control my curse ability so I was worried it wouldn't work. So far, it seems to be ok. How is it for you, Naruto?"

"Ok. I'm trying to change at will whenever I want, but I can't always control the transformations. But I'll get the hang of it. And thanks to the training you guys gave me before, I'm good to go if there is a battle. My fox fire is still under control."

"Glad to hear it." Seki knocked over the ramen cup with his nose and tried licking the spilled broth from the floor. The noddles were all gone so there was little left to spill.

"Like it?" Naruto asked him.

"I do like ramen. I like duck better."

Naruto chuckled.

Though the situation was serious, he was still happy to spend time with his friend. He enjoyed their time together.

* * *

Naruto stayed up most of the night with Seki. They spoke and laughed and played until it was time for him to go. Seki was staying just outside the village in the woods. When Naruto offered to let him stay at his place, Seki declined. He was a wild animal, after all. Being in the woods was more comfortable for him than being locked in a human dwelling.

Naruto slept for a good part of the morning before finally getting up. He had fallen asleep as a fox so when he woke up, he was still in his fox form, buried under blankets. He changed back into a human and got ready for the day.

As he was getting dressed, it finally sunk in that a new enemy was coming for him and his home. Evil kitsune were on their way to attack his home because they couldn't get Ryosuke's. It was borderline childish retaliation. It reminded Naruto of two children fighting over a toy. If one couldn't have it, then they would destroy something else belonging to the other child.

What also sunk in was the fact that if this was a battle against kitsune, the village was going to be on the losing end. Humans couldn't fight kitsune, especially kitsune who didn't care about showing mercy on humans. Unlike Ryouske's group, these kitsune weren't afraid to kill. Justu was no match for kitsune. Many ninja were going to see defeat if they took part in this battle. Naruto was their only hope. An ace in the hole. That alone was a heavy burden on his shoulders.

* * *

"We talked for hours," Naruto told Sakura when they met up to talk with Shizune. "Ryosuke and everyone are doing great. The town is doing better than ever. They're helping each other out. Human and kitsune. It's great. And Seki is a two-tails now. He's the one who gave me the curse. He said it's supposed to protect me and give me an edge in battle. I think I like this one better than the first one. More freedom this way. I can pick and choose when I want to change and to what."

"Naruto, focus on the important stuff. This is serious. Your friend just said that an enemy is coming to attack the Leaf. Shouldn't you be more worried about that than catching up with your friend?"

Naruto pouted. "I am taking it seriously. But I'm telling you other stuff, too."

"Just focus on the important information concerning the possible attack on the village when we talk to Shizune, alright?" Sakura knocked on the Hokage's office, hoping to get in contact with her as well. "Lady Tsunade? Shizune? It's us. Please open the door. It's important."

Shizune opened the door but didn't let them in. Instead, she took them to a room down the hall where they could speak. There, Naruto told her everything that Seki had mentioned that evening. Shizune was very concerned.

"Do you know when this attack will take place?"

"No. Seki didn't know if it was a bluff or not but when he sensed them nearby he knew it was for real." Naruto looked towards the door. "So where's granny at?"

"At a meeting," Shizune said quickly.

"Still? Or is this a different one?"

"She has a lot of meetings."

"But this is important," said Sakura. "I really think we should see her. Is this meeting really that important?"

Shizune wouldn't answer. "Let's focus on this for the time being and I'll inform her later. I'll have some guards patrol the village and the gate and the area outside. You said Kitsune are afraid of humans so maybe this will scared them off."

"It might not work for this one. These kitsune don't seem too fearful of humans," said Naruto. "They even said they were looking forward to tormenting them. Something Ryouske's group wouldn't do. I don't think having ninja around will help. Use dogs instead."

"Dogs?" Sakura and Shizune said at once.

"Dogs can sense a kitsune. If you have dogs around, they'll sniff out a kistune. Just be careful. I don't want them scaring off my friend. Seki's the one trying to help us."

"I'll inform the Inuzuka clan and have as many ninja hounds as possible patrolling the village."

Naruto turned away from the women. Something didn't feel right. If the village was under attack, no matter the meeting, Tsunade would surely come to at least see what was happening. Instead, Shizune was calling the shots. Something was off.

While Shizune went over the plans, Naruto started sniffing around for the Hokage. To get a good scent, he dropped to all fours and started sniffing the floor. He wandered over to the door and out into the hall.

"Where do you think you're going, Naruto?"

Ignoring them, Naruto went to the Hokage's office and opened the door. Her scent was strongest here. Strong, but stale. He trotted over to her desk and started sniffing around. He sniffed the desk, the chair and all the papers.

"Get out of there, Naruto!" scolded Shizune. "What do you think you're doing?"

Naruto popped up from the other side of the desk with fox ears and a tail. "I'm trying to find granny."

"Shizune just said she was at another meeting, Naruto. She wouldn't be here."

Naruto shook his head. "No. That's not it." He stood up, pointing to the desk. "I sniffed all her stuff. Her scent is the strongest in this room. When I sniffed in the hall, I could barely get anything. If Grandma Tsunade left, her scent would be in the hallway. There would be a trail to wherever she went off to. The fact that I'm not getting that and that her scent is strongest here in this room means that she never left."

Sakura's head turned towards Shizune who had become very quiet and started sweating.

"Granny isn't at a meeting, is she?"

Unable to hide the truth any longer, Shizune broke down. "I admit it. No, she isn't. I lied."

"If she isn't at a meeting, then where is she?" asked Sakura.

Shizune lowered her voice. "We don't know. She was doing paperwork one minute and the next she was gone. We have no idea where she is. We've been looking everywhere and no one can find any trace of her. She just vanished!"

"Vanished?"

Naruto's heart started pumping, thinking quickly. "Was there anything on this desk that shouldn't have been? Like an object that wasn't there before?"

"Object?" said Shizune, baffled. "Like what?"

"Anything. A statue, a glass ball, a necklace, anything. Even a pen. Something that can be overlooked."

Sakura understood what Naruto was trying to say. "You think Tsunade got cursed?"

"Maybe. I don't know. Nothing here is standing out to me. But be careful just in case. If the cursed object breaks, the person dies."

"There was nothing different here," said Shizune. "And she's been gone since yesterday. At least."

"So there was no meeting. You were covering this up when Sakura dragged me in here to talk to her."

Shizune admitted it. "That evening, I came in to check on her but the room was empty. She was only alone for a minute or two. I went to bring her tea. I thought she was in the bathroom. When I came back she still wasn't here. So I went looking for her and I still couldn't find her. I looked everywhere she could possibly be. I even asked a few other ninja to help me search."

"Why didn't you just tell us she was missing?" asked Sakura. "Why cover it up?"

"I didn't want to cause a panic. If word got out that the Hokage was missing, the village would be in chaos and other lands would see us as a target and we would be open to attack. It would be a repeat of what happened with the Kazekage. I didn't want to start something. I don't want the whole village to know that the Hokage has vanished so I've only told a few people and they were ordered not to make a fuss about it or tell other people. This all has to remain secret."

"Secret. Got it." Naruto poked around with his nose, searching for something. "If this was a kitsune curse, he didn't stay around for long. I'm not getting a scent. I'm getting your scent and the faint scent of a few other people, but nothing foxy."

"What do we do?" Sakura was worried. "Without the Hokage and the village about to be attacked..."

"It won't be that bad." Naruto felt confident. "I've fought kitsune before. I can handle it."

"Naruto, there's more to it than..."

Naruto's ears twitched and he looked towards the door. Tonton came wandering in and stood at Shizune's heels, oinking softly. Naruto's stomach started to growl. Another feeling came over him and suddenly he wanted to hunt. Chasing that pig around seemed like fun and he would get a meal out of it. Pork sounded pretty good.

Licking his lips, Naruto crouched down on all fours again and prepared to spring. Sensing him, Tonton hid behind Shizune. Before he could make a move, Sakura grabbed him by the back of his jacket.

"What's gotten into you, Naruto?" she snapped.

"I can't help it. I'm hungry." Naruto pouted. "And Tonton looked fun to chase."

Frightened for her companion, Shizune picked Tonton up and wrapped her arms tightly around the pig's pink body.

"Can we get food, Sakura? I'm hungry."

"That's a good idea, Sakura. Take Naruto to get something to eat." It was that or watch Naruto devour Tonton.

* * *

"Ramen, ramen, ramen!" Naruto perched on his chair at Ichiraku's, chanting as he waited for his food. He could hardly contain himself. He was so excited for his food. "Ramen, ramen!"

"Whoa, eager today, aren't we, Naruto?" said the chef from inside. "Bet you're hungry."

"You bet, pops!" Naruto bounced in his seat like a child. "I can't wait! Ramen!"

Sakura slapped him on the shoulder. "Sit still and be quiet. You look ridiculous."

Less than a minute passed before Naruto was sniffing around for his meal. He could smell everything with his sensitive nose. Every spice, every ounce of flavor. The boiling water, the broth, the noodles, the egg, the meat. He was drooling all over the counter. His stomach wouldn't stop growling. "Come on, pops! Food!"

"Just a second, Naruto. Almost done."

"I'm starving. Ramen!"

"He said to sit tight. It's almost ready," Sakura hissed.

"Ramen!"

"Shut your trap, would you?"

"Ramen now!" Naruto's face changed into that of a fox, complete with fur and ears. Even his tail was out and wagging fiercely behind him.

"Naruto!" Sakura threw her hands on top of his head to hide his ears. "Knock it off! And control your transformations better!"

Naruto changed back except for his tail. "I can't help it. Sometimes I change when I get excited."

"Well, control yourself!"

"Here you go, Naruto. Nice and hot."

"Yay!" Naruto looked at the huge bowl placed in front of him overflowing with meat and noodles. He inhaled deeply, taking in the wonderful smell. "Looks great! Thanks, pops." Breaking his chopsticks, he dove in. It tasted so good. This ramen was made special for him. Heaping piles of noodles and thick cuts of meat. One bowl wasn't going to be enough. Naruto had just started eating and already he wanted more. "So good!"

Sakura poked at her ramen, half waiting for it to cool and half too annoyed at Naruto to eat. He was eating like an animal. He used his chopsticks for part of the meal, but most of the food entering his mouth was taken in straight from the bowl with his teeth. He was eating like a dog. "Once you're done stuffing your face, we really need to revisit the issue. Rather than waiting around to be attacked, we should go looking for the kitsune attacking us."

Naruto slurped up the noodles, slopping broth all over the counter and down his chin. "Yeah, I know." He licked his bowl clean. "Hey, pops! Another bowl, please!"

"Coming up."

"More meat in this one. Lots and lots of beef. Pork, too. Oh, and chicken!"

"You got it."

Naruto clapped his hands together. "Ramen! Ramen! Ramen!" His ears popped out again.

"If your transformations are triggered by emotions then try not to get so excited," Sakura told him.

"Come on, Sakura. I can't help feeling feelings."

"Just tone it down a little. Stay calm."

Naruto's ears vanished and so did his tail. "Better?"

"Better."

"Order up! Lots of meat for you, Naruto."

His ears and tail popped out again. "Yes! Thanks, pops!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. This wasn't going well. Clearly Naruto couldn't control himself.

While Naruto ate, Sakura tried talking to him about things they should be doing to defend themselves against enemy kitsune. Sakura reminded Naruto about her thought to go after the kitsune rather than wait around to be attacked.

Naruto finished his bowl, leaving one slab of meat behind, wanting to save that part for last. "I get what you're saying, Sakura. But taking action like that might not end well. If these kitsune are able to use curse, then they have two tails which makes them stronger. If we charge in and attack, we could be walking into a trap. We don't even know who the enemy is. What they look like... We don't even have names. I'm thinking that if we do attack first, we might be walking into a kitsune trap or attack the wrong person."

"You're right. Since you know these kitsune better than I do, we'll have to check with you first before charging in."

"If we wait, at least we'll have a target."

"But if we do wait, we might be too late. We really need to think about this."

Naruto finished the last bit of meat and paid for his meal. "Thanks. That was great."

"Anytime, Naruto."

As they left the ramen shop, their discussion of the attack continued. After going around in circles, they both decided it would be better to talk about this in a group and come up with a plan from there.

Naruto sniffed the air and halted. Kiba and Akamaru were taking a walk together up the road. Part of Naruto wanted to avoid Akamaru but another part wanted to test something else out. "Just a second." Naruto left Sakura's side to test this out.

"Hey, what's up, Naruto?" Kiba greeted him.

"Not much. Hang on." Naruto crouched down and looked at Akamaru. They were nose to nose with each other. Akamaru whined slightly, apparently uncomfortable with the way Naruto was staring at him. Then Naruto shifted into his hybrid form, donning a fox face and tail. This time when Akamaru made a noise, he understood it.

"What's with that face? It's different."

Naruto gasped happily. He understood Akamaru perfectly. "I understood that! Hey, Akamaru. What's up?"

"Why is your face weird and why do you smell different? It's you but your scent is a little off."

"I'm part fox. That's why. I can turn into a kitsune. Which means I can understand what animals are saying. Like you."

"Great. I hope it's better than this idiot here." Akamaru nodded towards Kiba.

"You really think he's an idiot?"

"Sometimes, but I like him anyway." Akamaru liked to tease.

"Does he understand you like he says he can?"

"Yeah, he gets me. It's cool."

Kiba looked from Naruto to his dog. "Um... What's going on here?"

Naruto turned away from Akamaru, beaming. "I can understand what he's saying."

"So can I."

"Yeah, but this is my first time. And it's different then you. I think you just get the gist of things he says."

Kiba snorted. "So what's with that face you have? A transformation jutsu or something?"

"You're part right. It is a transformation." Naruto shifted back into human form. "I've been cursed so I'm part kitsune now."

"Kitsune? I thought they were just myth. I've never seen one."

"They avoid humans. I'm friends with a bunch of them. I helped them out once and we-"

"Moron!" Sakura punched Naruto in the back of the head.

"Ow! What?!"

"Don't run off like that, first of all. Secondly, we have to meet up with more people in order to come up with a plan," said Sakura. "Since Shizune is trying to find Tsunade, it's up to us to help defend the village."

"Defend the village?" said Kiba. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Some evil kitsune are trying to attack the village," answered Naruto.

"Oh, so that's why we were asked to keep an eye out with our dogs. So wait. There are kitsune here at the village?"

"Yup. Granny already got cursed by one and vanished so now we don't have a Hokage to-"

"Idiot!" Sakura punched him again. "That was supposed to be a secret!"

"Oh, yeah. Oops."

Kiba looked shocked. "The Hokage is missing?!"

"Shh!" Naruto and Sakura hushed in unison. "Word about that isn't supposed to get out. You want to cause a panic?"

"Sorry, sorry." Kiba lowered his voice. "How long has she been missing?"

"Two days. Today would be the second."

"Where is she?"

"If we knew that she wouldn't be missing, Kiba."

"Right." Even Kiba realized how stupid that sounded.

"Naruto and I are going to meet with Shizune to see what we can do about the enemy. We could be attacked at anytime." Sakura tugged on Naruto's sleeve. "Come on. We should get as much done as we can."

Going along with Sakura's pulling, Naruto left Kiba and Akamaru behind. Akamaru barked once in farewell. Naruto kept his eyes on them as he walked, a thought popping into his head.

Sakura noticed his slow pace and turned around. "What is it?"

"I just noticed something," he told her. "When I'm human, I can't understand what Akamaru's saying. But when I'm a fox or even partly changed into one, then I can."

"Yeah. So?"

Naruto looked down. "I wonder if there are some things I can only do in one form and not the other. When this happened the first time, I could only use jutsu as a human and not as a fox. When I was a fox, I couldn't use jutsu. I bet it's the same here. In fact, I know it is."

"Then what's the problem?"

Naruto looked at his human hands thoughtfully. "I wonder what I can do as a hybrid. Or if only part of me a transformed. I wonder if I can use both powers at once depending on what I'm transformed as."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "I see. That would be a good thing to test out. Especially before battle." Sakura gave him a serious look. "There's something else I want you to look into as well."

"Yeah, what?"

"I noticed that aside from your random transformations when you get excited, you tend to..." Sakura trailed off.

"What?"

"Act like an animal."

Naruto cocked his head. "Huh?"

"Like when you tried to eat Tonton back at the office."

"Oh, that. I wasn't serious. I was just hungry and I wasn't really going to eat-"  
"Still," Sakura said firmly. "I want you to get a better handle on this whole curse thing. That means both abilities and any animal traits you might also possess."

Sakura did have a point. Naruto had noticed some subtle changes in himself. Some were less subtle than others. He did have a lot of really strong desires and temptations. These urges were slightly odd to him but nothing he was concerned about. He always had a playful side and a passion for pranks so him wanting to play around and show off was nothing new. The timing was the only thing that stood out to him and made him think something was off. He should have been more serious and not want to show off right then at that moment but he had the desire to do so. These were small changes but that didn't mean that other stronger ones weren't a possibility.

Naruto nodded. "You're right." He turned away and looked at the sky and the trees. He was thinking.

After a moment, Sakura called to him and he turned.

"You go she Shizune," he told her. "There's something else I have to do that's more important."

"More important than this?"

He nodded. "I have to get this curse under control. If we're attacked, I have to be able to do something about it. I don't want to be useless and drag everyone down. I have to fight, too. And it will be a lot easier if I knew everything about myself." Naruto looked at his hands. "Everything."

Naruto was talking about his curse. Sakura knew that. Since it was her idea, she didn't argue with him and let him do what he needed. "Ok. I'll talk to Shizune. But be careful with whatever you do."

Naruto nodded. "I'll see you later."

* * *

Please review ^-^


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

For the remainder of that day, Sakura didn't see Naruto or speak to him once. There was no sign of him. She knew he was off training somewhere to learn more about his curse, but she couldn't help but worry. Part of her wondered if he had been attacked, disappearing like the Hokage, but that wasn't possible. According to Naruto, once someone had been cursed, they couldn't be cursed twice. In that, Naruto was safe.

Night had fallen and there was still no sign of Naruto anywhere. Worried, Sakura went to Naruto's apartment to see if he had returned. His home was dark and empty. He hadn't returned. Hoping he would return in the morning, Sakura returned home.

* * *

Dawn was soon approaching and most of the Hidden Leaf village was still asleep in their beds. Not Neji. He awoke early that morning to keep his promise to Hinata to come over to help her train more. Since they were both busy in the afternoon, this was the only time they could do it.

The Hyuga estate was shrouded in darkness at this hour. The sun would be up in a few minutes but until then the only source of light was what remained of the dim stars in the diminishing dark sky. Neji could count only two. Then again, he was still trying to pry his eyes open, having just crawled out of bed. It was early, even for him. He shouldn't have agreed to an extra shift last night.

Yawning, Neji walked quietly to the yard where they usually trained. Expecting to see his cousin waiting for him, Neji tried to wake himself up by tapping his cheeks with his hands. The dark sky made him want to go back to sleep. It was so peaceful out here and the cool morning air made him long for his warm bed.

As he entered the yard, Neji noticed that he was the only one there. "Hm?" This was a surprise. Hinata was never late to their training sessions in the yard. This was her home, after all. How could she be late when all she had to do was open a door and step outside? Neji looked around, wondering if he missed her but the yard was deserted. Thinking she was in the bathroom or still getting dressed, Neji stood in the yard and waited.

After a few minutes passed, Neji sat on the porch and waited for her there. Birds were beginning to chirp. It was officially morning. He sat and waited. And waited. The sun rose and still he waited.

Where was she? It wasn't like Hinata to be this late. She couldn't have forgotten. She took these training sessions seriously.

He heard footsteps and looked down the hall. Hinata's sister was coming his way to get to the other end of the house. "Neji? What are you doing here?"

"Lady Hinata asked me to help her train this morning." Neji looked away. "Only she's over an hour late."

Hanabi frowned. "Big sis didn't show up? Did you check her room?"

Neji shook his head. "N- no. That wouldn't be proper of me."

"I'll go check." Hanabi retreated back down the hall. A minute later she returned looking upset. "She's not in her room."

"What?"

"She's not in her room."

Neji stood up and followed Hanabi to the bedroom. Empty, just as she said. Hinata's bed was clearly slept in. It wasn't made but it also looked like no one had left it. The covers weren't pulled back. Her window was open a crack, not nearly enough for her to squeeze out. Her clothes were still in her closet right where she left them. Nothing was a mess which meant there was no struggle.

"Hinata's shoes are still here," said Hanabi. "All of them. Even her good pair."

Neji pulled back the covers, expecting to find a note or some sort of clue but there was nothing. Her bed was empty. "There are a lot of guards patrolling the village," he said. "There are even men by the gate and Uncle is very alert. Someone would have seen or heard something."

"You think she was abducted?"

"I'm not sure." Neji took a look around the room, searching for clues. What he found was a single strand of ginger hair on her nightstand. "But it sure looks like it."

* * *

Sakura's worries were put to rest when she saw Naruto that morning on the way to check in with Shizune. "Oh, good! You're up."

"Yeah. I'm up still, actually. I spent the whole night with Seki. We were training and playing and all kinds of stuff. I've still got a ways to go. After a quick nap, I'm going back out there to train. I said I would see him tonight before sunset."

"So he still sleeps at night?"

"Yeah, but he's been good about getting up during the day to check on things." Naruto's face grew serious. "He says that he's sensed the kitsune nearby but not in the village. But they're close."

"I wonder why they're not attacking," said Sakura.

"Who knows? Maybe Shizune has a theory."

"I hope so. I hope they've got something on where Lady Tsunade is, too."

There wasn't any good news when they went to see Shizune. There was still no trace of the Hokage and more ninja were starting to find out. People needed to meet with the Hokage only to be turned away and ninja returning from missions were told to see Shizune instead of the Hokage when giving their report. Because of this, more people were starting to notice that the Hokage was missing. Thankfully, no one thought they were in danger or thought she was abducted. Some assumed she was tending to important matters, in a meeting or off on her own mission. As long as no one knew the truth or panicked, this was fine. The last thing they needed now was chaos.

"Lady Tsunade!" The door to the office blew open and Neji came running in. "Lady Tsunade, it's urgent. It's..." Neji looked at the faces of Naruto, Sakura and Shizune staring back at him. "Where is Lady Tsunade?"

"Uh..."

Neji looked at Shizune. "We have a problem. Lady Hinata has been abducted. We must look for her."

"Abducted? When? By whom?"

"Don't know. But I did manage to get this." Neji unwrapped the strand of hair he found in Hinata's room from the cloth in his hand. "I was hoping Akamaru or someone could track this scent and find out who it was that took her."

"Don't you have guards around the Hyuga estate?" asked Sakura. "I thought it was secure."

"We do have people around the estate but not the type of guards you're thinking of. But there were people walking around all last night because of the tightened security that was ordered. No one noticed anything. Hinata never left her room last night. Her family saw her go to bed and that was the last they saw of her."

"I can alert Kiba and see if..." Shizune stopped talking when she saw Naruto inch closer to the hair in Neji's hand.

Naruto started sniffing it. Neji flinched. "What are you..?"

Naruto sneezed and his face transformed into a fox and his tail popped out again. Neji recoiled at the sight of him, taken by surprise. Naruto didn't take notice of Neji's reaction and continued to sniff the hair. He growled from his throat.

"What is it?"

"It's not hair," Naruto said. "It's fur."

"Fur?"

He nodded. "It's kitsune fur. But it's not Seki's. It's a scent I don't know."

The women gasped, knowing what this meant. Neji, on the other hand, looked stunned. "What's going on? What does that mean? And why does Naruto look like that?"

"Long story."

"Someone tell me what's going on," Neji demanded. "You know something I don't? Do you know where Hinata is or who has her?"

"Well..." Naruto started. "Yes and no."

"Start talking."

Naruto sighed. "Ok, here's the short version of it. Remember that mission we had with the prince and the foxes and how I got cursed? Well, these bad kitsune wanted to take over the land of the good kitsune and when they were outmatched, they threatened to attack my village instead since I'm friends with the good ones. So one of the good ones came here to help protect me and warn me about what was going on. I got cursed again, but this time I can choose when I change. Sort of. But the thing is, we think the bad kitsune took Grandma Tsunade because she's the leader of the village. To them, taking out the leader will weaken us."

"So the Hokage is missing?" Neji looked at Shizune who confirmed it with a nod of her head. Neji looked away, letting it sink in. Then he turned back to Naruto. "I understand why they would attack the Hokage, but why Hinata?"

"Isn't she supposed to be the future leader of the clan or something?" said Naruto. "I thought as the first born she was going to be the head of the clan one day."

"No, that's been passed to her sister Hanabi. My uncle doesn't think Hinata is fit to run the clan or be any kind of leader. He feels she isn't strong enough or good enough."

"But the kitsune wouldn't know that," pointed out Sakura. "Somehow they must have found out about the clan needing a leader and assumed that Hinata was going to be the future leader. To their logic, Hinata must have been seen as some form of authority or strength."

"But why would she matter to them?" asked Neji. "She doesn't run the village. Are you saying these kitsune are eliminating anyone who can be seen as a leader? We're a fine clan and certainly a symbol, but I know there are others out there. It doesn't make sense to me. What also doesn't make sense is why they didn't take my uncle instead. He's the current head of the Hyuga clan."

"I don't know. I have no idea. Maybe they're trying to make a point, or threaten us. Make us scared."

Neji paced the office. "Ok, let me get this straight. The Hokage is missing and Hinata is missing. Naruto's been cursed a second time so he's a kitsune again. And there are two sets of kitsune now. Good and bad."

"Yup."

Neji turned to Naruto. "Then why don't you get your kitsune friend to help us out? Make him find Lady Tsunade and Hinata."

"I can't boss him around."

"You know, Naruto," said Sakura. "From someone who's hanging out to try protecting this village from the enemy, he's doing a pretty poor job of it. I mean that's two people so far. Who's next?"

"And if you're a kitsune again, why can't you track the enemy down? Why couldn't you sense them come in here and kidnap two people?" badgered Neji.

Naruto backed away. "Hey, I can't track scent off something that tiny. And the kitsune that came into the village didn't stay long. Not long enough to leave a good scent around. And I'm sure Seki is trying his best. He sensed them get closer to the village. That's something."

"But he couldn't stop them from coming in?" Neji looked angry. "I'm starting to think this friend of yours is playing you like a fiddle. How do we know he's not the one who did this?"

"The scent on that fur isn't his!" Naruto yelled.

"Maybe he had a hand in it. For all we know, he's helping the enemy!"

Growling, Naruto took a swipe at Neji's face. He couldn't stand hearing one of his friends talking about another friend like that and accusing him of something. Naruto's claws missed Neji's face but the gust of air Naruto created when he moved hit Neji like a slap. It was enough to make him jump back. He didn't say another word.

"Seki's my friend and I trust him! Just like he trusts me. He's been helping me out. And before you go around saying it's all his fault, why not blame the ninja who didn't notice the kitsune coming into the village? Some security! They messed up, too, Neji. Not just Seki! Even you didn't notice anything, so don't go around blaming other people when you're no better."

Neji's hard look softened slightly, letting Naruto's words sink in. Neji frowned in disappointment. Naruto was right. He failed, too. Even he didn't notice anything was amiss.

Naruto put a hand on Neji's shoulder, silently comforting him. Then Naruto spoke to him calmly but with a sense of urgency in his soft tone. "Was there anything in her bed or in the room that stood out to you? Maybe a jewel or something?"

"Why?"

"If Hinata was cursed, she would have been transformed into an object."

"No, I didn't see anything. But if that's how a curse works, why are you an animal and not an object?" he asked.

"Every fox curse is different. I don't think granny or Hinata would be animals."

"Then whatever they were turned into, if they were cursed, the kitsune must have taken with them," said Sakura.

"So if we find the kitsune, we find them?"

"I guess."

Naruto wasn't so sure. It seemed too simple. He also wasn't sure why those two people were cursed. Tsunade he could understand, being the leader of the village, but why Hinata? What would they want with her? Or were they just targeting his friends? If that was the case, how would they know who his friends were? It wasn't like they had ever met before. Maybe they were trying to get his attention. Maybe they just went after Hinata to show him that they could and the target was coincidental. Maybe it had nothing to do with Hinata at all.

"So what do we do about this?" asked Neji. "Just stand here and hope for the best? What action should we take?"

Shizune didn't know how to answer that. Though Neji had asked the question to anyone who would listen, she felt it was directed towards her. "We had security watching over the village and the enemy still got in. Either they're really good or they have someone on the inside helping them out. I don't know what to do."

Naruto didn't feel like sticking around any longer. He wanted to leave. Though the others protested, he left anyway and went back to his apartment to think. He just didn't want to be there anymore. It wasn't that he didn't care. He did. He just had the urge to leave.

He flopped down on his bed and stared at his human hands. "I have to get stronger. I won't let another person disappear."

* * *

After some rest and some food, Naruto was feeling a lot better. He was going to practice with Seki again that night, something he was really looking forward to. When he and Sakura caught up with each other late that afternoon, he told her all about what they've been doing. He told her about his training when he had first become a kitsune back on the mission.

"If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have had the skills I needed to fight Reevo or those hunters who came to kill them. Or those assassins. Since they attacked at night, I didn't have jutsu or anything to use to defend myself. So I needed to learn how to be a kitsune. It was a big help. Because of them, I was able to help you guys and helped them with their problem, too."

Sakura couldn't help but smile as she listened to Naruto talk fondly of his fox friends. The way his face lit up and the happy smile on his face put her in a good mood. For a time, it seemed all their problems were so far away. "Sounds like Seki was a big help to you back then."

"Ryosuke was the one who wanted to train me. Seki helped him do that. They're close friends. I could tell. Since Ryosuke is busy protecting his own home and his family, Seki came to help me out in his place." Naruto told her all about it. "At first, Seki was a little afraid of me because he knew I was a human. But he got to know me as a kitsune and we got closer. Then he said he trusted me and cared about me. That we were friends. I thought that would change when the curse was broken and I became human again, but it didn't. He came right up to me and didn't even flinch. He said that we were friends, human or fox. It didn't matter to him because he knew me. And he knew I would never hurt them."

Smiling, Sakura took in a deep breath through her nose. The way Naruto spoke, she felt as if she knew them, too. Only she didn't. "Seki and the other foxes sound great. I'd love to meet him. I haven't met any of them yet. I only saw them for a moment then they ran off. I'm a little jealous you got to know them and I didn't. Seki alone sounds pretty great. You think I could meet him when you go training with him tonight?"

Naruto paused, thinking. "I don't know. Like most of the kitsune, Seki tries to avoid humans. Says he's afraid of them. And he has good reason to be. His older brother was attacked and killed by a human in front of him and his little brother. He was made into a pelt and hung on the wall. Just imagine if that happened to a human."

It did sound pretty horrific.

"Because of that, Seki doesn't go near humans out of fear. It wasn't that way for me because he got to know me and we became friends. But he tends to avoid people as much as he can. Which is why he doesn't go into the village and stays just outside the gate in the woods. I couldn't even get him to spend the day in my room."

She understood Seki's reasoning. Humans must have been pretty scary to a young fox. Even so, she still wanted to meet him. These kitsune sounded wonderful. It felt like it would be a real honor and privilege to meet one face to face. Everything about them was shrouded in mystery. There was something thrilling and wonderful about meeting something very few people ever made contact with. It was like Naruto belonged to an exclusive club. Sakura wanted to be a part of it.

"Then again..." said Naruto, looking at her. "I think he'd be ok with you."

Sakura felt a rush of excitement. "Really?"

"As long as you don't do, say or look threatening, I think he'd be ok meeting one of my friends. But just one. Anymore than that would be too much."

It was getting close to sunset so this was the perfect chance to meet Seki. Sakura was really excited to meet a kitsune. She listened to everything Naruto said and took his advice. The last thing she wanted to do was scare him off or insult him. She asked if she should bring a gift and Naruto thought it would be a good idea. Kitsune valued food so that would have been an excellent gift.

Naruto led Sakura out of the village and over to the trees where he had arranged to meet Seki at this time. Naruto advised her to stay quiet and move slowly. No weapons or tools could be visible.

"When you speak, do it quietly. Don't lose your temper for any reason. Just look as nonthreatening as possible. Ok, Sakura?"

She nodded. She tightened her grip on the bag around her shoulder which contained the gift she wanted to give to Seki.

Rustling came from the woods and Sakura grew very still, holding her breath. Her first look of a kitsune up close. There was something truly amazing about it.

The rustling stopped and she saw a pair of eyes staring at her from the tree trunks.

"It's me, Seki," Naruto called to the eyes.

Very slowly, a fox stepped out from the tree trunks and stood before them. He had big eyes and well-kept fur. Two tails hovered behind him, refusing to wag or make even the slightest movement.

"That's him," Naruto whispered to Sakura. "That's Seki. He's the one I told you about."

Sakura remembered the kitsune she had seen at a distance the night the curses were all broken and knew this fox was different from that one. That kitsune was very powerful and she could tell that from where she stood. She felt as if she were looking at a powerful spirit far beyond anything a human could comprehend. He looked magical. This kitsune was not the same. She was still in awe at this two-tailed fox but the feeling she had wasn't as strong as it was for the first fox she had seen. This one was still mysterious yet somehow approachable.

The fox kept eye contact with her. It felt like the fox was trying to decide if she was safe to get closer to. Right away she had the impression that this fox was afraid of her.

"Uh... Hello," Sakura greeted softly. "My name is Sakura. I'm a friend of Naruto's. We're in the same group. Um, I guess you would call it a pack."

The fox didn't move but he seemed slightly less frightened of her. He felt safe enough to blink at least.

"I got you something." Sakura opened her bag slowly to not frighten the fox. "I brought you some food."

She pulled out a thick slice of melon and held it out for the fox to see. He sniffed the air but did not approach.

Sakura bent down and placed the melon on the ground and stepped back. "Here." The fox still wasn't moving. "I wanted to thank you for training Naruto and teaching him how to be a kitsune. And for being his friend. Thank you for being Naruto's friend. I hope we can be friends, too."

The fox started to move. He took one step. Then another. He very slowly crept out from the trees and over to the melon. He picked it up in his mouth and carried it back to the trees and set it down in the grass. He sniffed the melon but didn't eat it. He seemed to be checking it out.

Then the fox lifted his head and said, "Thank you."

Sakura gave a small gasp, surprised to hear it speak. Then she smiled. She took his words as a sign of acceptance. "You're welcome."

When Sakura turned her head, she saw Naruto in his hybrid form. He stepped forward then shifted into his full fox form and trotted over to where Seki stood. Naruto looked back at Sakura and smiled. "I'll see you later."

It was time for him to train.

Sakura nodded to him. "Ok." She looked at Seki. "I'll be going now. Thanks for looking after Naruto." Sakura slowly stepped away.

Seki picked up the melon and turned into the woods. Naruto followed him and the two were gone. The rustling had all stopped.

Sakura was left alone but content.

She finally managed to meet a kitsune and heard it speak to her. She thought that was amazing. She also knew that Naruto was getting the training he needed and was with a friend. He was learning the things no one else could teach him.

For now, this was all she could do. Sakura accepted that and was ok with it.

* * *

Melon finished and a dead lizard for dessert, Seki watched Naruto train in the dark. Their fox eyes allowed them to see about as well as they could during the day so the night was hardly an issue. Naruto worked long and hard on his training, stopping only to hunt small animals that came by from time to time.

Through his training, Naruto discovered that he was correct in that he could only use one ability depending on his transformaion. If he was human, he could only use jutsu and not fox magic. If he was a kitsune, then he could not use jutsu. He had assumed correctly. What he was still trying to discover was what power was more dominate in a hybrid form. If he was exactly half-and-half, could he in theory use both abilities at once? So far he was incapable of using two powers at once, even in hybrid form. Not only that, but he also discovered that even if he wasn't half-and-half and only a small part of him was changed into a fox, his fox magic would be dominate. He could not use jutsu if he was a hybrid. Even if his transformation was slight, for instance having a tail and ears, his jutsu would not work.

Overcoming these handicaps was no easy task. Naruto tried to see how far he had to be transformed to use either technique. It was better he learn it now than in the heat of battle. Through his training, Naruto discovered that he could still use his chakra to climb a tree if he had his tail but only his tail. Most of his ability to hold onto the tree came from sheer will power and concentration. He could only stick to the tree for a moment, then his fox powers would become dominate and his ninja skills were rendered useless. The same issue went for his clones as well. If he used jutsu to conjure his shadow clones, he could not use his fox magic. His clones would also disappear the moment his body went through any sort of transformation. If he gained a tail or ears, they would disappear in an instant.

It seemed that he could not use jutsu if any part of him was fox-like. This may have been a problem in battle. If he wanted to switch, he had to surrender all of the techniques he was using in the other form. If he was using fox magic, it was all break as soon as he changed into a human or used jutsu. If he wanted to use fox magic, all his jutsu techniques would disappear. Clones, the Rasengan, Sage Mode, everything. This made it especially hard if he was using one of his clones to spy and he changed into a fox unexpectedly. The clone would vanish in an instant.

"How is it coming?" Seki asked.

"I'm trying to stick to the tree while part of me is fox." Naruto was able to hold himself in place just for a moment. Very slowly he extended his claws and he fell. Even claws broke the jutsu. Ears were the same. For a time, it seemed that his tail was the only safe part of him that allowed him to still use his chakra, but sadly that, too, failed. He could only stick for half a second before falling. He thought it was because his tail didn't count and wouldn't force his body to shift from charka to fox fire. That was not the case. He was mistaken. On the off chance that he wasn't, Naruto kept trying. Showing no signs of progress, Naruto came to terms with the fact that being any part fox took away his ninja abilities.

"So that was your mate."

Naruto turned his head. "Hm?"

"The female who came with you," said Seki. "Was that your mate?"

Naruto remembered having a similar conversation back on the mountain during his mission with the kitsune. "Sort of, I guess. I kept trying to go on a date with her but she won't."

"I don't really understand dating. What do you do? Is that what humans call 'mating'?"

"Uh... Not really. For some people, it uh..." Naruto was turning red. "But no. A date is when a boy and a girl who like each other spend time together and get to know each other better."

"So it's social. Like playing."

"Sort of..." Kitsune thought differently from humans so this was a little difficult to explain to him.

Seki smiled. "She seems nice."

"She is. Just sometimes she gets mad and loses her temper. Most of the time it's my fault. But she's my friend and I care about her a lot."

Seki's tail wagged. "You have good friends."

Naruto smiled. "I know. You're my friend, too. Along with Ryosuke and everybody."

Seki's smile deepened.

Naruto kept good company. Now he just had to protect them.

* * *

Please review ^-^


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

The following day, Naruto visited Sakura to tell her all about his training from last night. He had made some real progress. When he found her, she was with several of their friends.

"What's going on?" Naruto's fear was that someone else had disappeared last night while he was training with Seki.

"We need to talk," said Neji. "About this kitsune thing."

Naruto groaned. "I already told you everything. Seki didn't do anything wrong."

"I know. Which is why we need to speak with him."

Naruto was taken aback. "What? Why?"

"Naruto," Sakura said, "we all talked this over and decided that it would be a good idea to meet with Seki and talk this out with him. He's the one who warned you about what was going to happen, so obviously he knows what's going on. We need more information and Seki is the only one who can answer our questions."

"Then I'll do what I did the other night and ask him myself and tell you guys what he said."

Neji shook his head. "No. No more of this messenger stuff. We want to speak with him directly. It will be easier this way and a lot faster."

Naruto shook his head. "I told you guys before. Seki is a kitsune. Kitsune are afraid of humans. He won't want to come out and talk to you. He won't enter the village."

"Then we'll go to him," said Choji.

"No. If he sees a crowd of humans, he'll run off. He's scared of humans. I told you that."

"But Sakura got to meet him last night," said Ino.

Naruto looked at Sakura. She told Ino and who knew who else? "That was different. It was just her. And she brought him food as a gift. Plus, we're on the same team so Seki thinks that makes her a part of my pack, like he's a part of Ryosuke's. I'm telling you it won't work."

"Well, we have to meet with him somehow."

"Agreed," said Shino. "We need additional information and Seki has it. We must meet with this kitsune and ask him a few questions. If he wants to keep you and the village safe, he'll have to converse with us and come up with a plan. The way things are going now aren't working. Two people have disappeared so far and he knows who the enemy is. It only makes sense."

Naruto sighed. "I know what he'll say. I asked him about it before. No meeting you or staying at my place. He won't do it. Coming into the village that night to curse me was taking a risk, he told me. He won't do it."

"What if he uses that fox magic stuff you told me about?" asked Sakura. "He won't have to enter the village but he can still speak to us."

Again, Naruto shook his head. "Casting illusions aren't like clones. It doesn't work that way. And if he transforms himself into a human, he'll only be taking on the mirror image of someone else who he's already seen and exists. He'll still be a fox. If someone decides to attack him-"

"We won't do that."

"But he'll be too afraid of it happening. So for the sake of argument let's say that it does. If one of you attacks him as a human, it will still be him who gets the damage. And he's also afraid of dogs. One of them could sniff him out and he'll bolt. Or the dog will attack him. He won't feel safe. Even if you all promise him you won't attack, it's too much to expect. And I don't want to force my friend to do something he's against. Don't make me force him."

The group looked at each other. "Then what are our options?"

"How do we meet with him in a way he'll feel safe?"

"Put him in a box?"

"No, that's like a cage. I don't think he'd like that."

"Then how?"

Naruto knew they needed to speak with Seki one-on-one, but there were plenty of issues. It would be too difficult. Illusions wouldn't work, coming into the village wouldn't work, and them going to him wouldn't work. There must have been another way.

An idea came to mind. "I got it!" Naruto snapped his fingers. "Kitsune can use fox possession! If Seki is in another person's body, he might feel safe enough to meet us. If you guys or anyone decides to attack him, he won't take damage, the person he's inside of will. It will protect him, like wearing a suit of armor. It's perfect."

"Great. But who is he going to be inside of?"

That was a good question. The ninja started to argue.

"Not me. I don't want to be possessed."

"Not me. I want to be a part of this meeting."

"I want to meet the fox, so I'm out."

"I don't feel like being taken over. No thank you."

"What about Naruto?"

"No, that fox won't show up if Naruto isn't there to coach him."

"Then what we need is a neutral party. Someone who won't mind either way. You know, indifferent. Not a part of this meeting."

"You want to just grab anyone off the street?"

"They can scare the fox! It has to be someone good."

Naruto scanned the street for options. His friends were right. It couldn't just be anyone off the street. It had to be a good host body. Naruto looked at the women but thought Seki would rather be in a male body. There were plenty of men. Some old, some young. Children might fuss too much or get over excited and scare Seki off. Someone calmer.

He found one. A perfect host.

"Kakashi-sensei!" He bolted over to his teacher reading from a magazine outside a store. "Kakashi-sensei, we need your help. Can you please do us a huge, huge favor?"

"I suppose," he said cautiously. "What is it?"

Naruto put his hands together in a begging motion. "Please let one of my friends possess your body for a few minutes so he can go to an important meeting?"

Kakashi didn't say anything at first. "What?"

"One of my kitsune friends. He's outside the village but he won't enter the village because he's afraid of humans so he can't go to a meeting and he really, really needs to. But if he's in a human body, he'll feel protected and he can attend. So please?"

Sakura saw what Naruto was doing and came over to help beg. "Please, Kakashi-sensei? We really need your help to do this. And his friend Seki is really nice. Just timid. But he's a good person. Uh, fox. So please? Please, sensei?"

Kakashi looked at their pleading faces. Then he closed the magazine and put it back on the rack. "Alright. I'm in."

"You'll do it?"

"Really?" Sakura was a bit surprised. He agreed a little too easily.

"Yeah, sure. I was actually kind of bored. I'm fine helping you guys out for a bit."

Sakura thought she understood now. "Are you just agreeing to do this so it gets you out of doing work or something like that? Or dealing with Gai, who's been looking for you since this morning to challenge you to something stupid?"

"I'm merely helping my dear friends and teammates. That's all." Kakashi's mask wrinkled as he smiled.

"Yeah, right."

"You want his help or not, Sakura?"

They led him outside the village and over to where Seki liked to stay during the day. Naruto turned into a kitsune to fetch him and bring him over to Kakashi. He had to explain what they were doing since Seki wasn't expecting to go to any meetings.

"So this fox is going to possess my body for a few minutes so he can attend this meeting and then leave?"

"Pretty much, Sensei. But Seki's really shy around humans and he's afraid of them. Naruto told me that his older brother was killed by a human and it really affected him. So try to stay quiet and be as nonthreatening as possible. Don't look scary and no weapons. At all."

"I got it. Understood." Kakashi stopped and looked at the trees as two foxes emerged from the woods. Naruto was whispering to the tentative fox as if assuring him that it was safe.

Kakashi stepped forward, approaching the fox. Sakura held her breath, hoping the fox wouldn't get scared and run off. Then a horrible thought entered her mind. Kakashi worked with ninja hounds. Would Seki sense that? Would he have issues with that? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

Then Kakashi stopped and got down on his knees to be closer to his level. "Hello. My name is Kakashi. I understand that you're a good friend of Naruto's. I'm his teacher."

Seki opened his mouth but no sound came out at first. He was still nervous being this close to a human being. Then, "Naruto also tells me that you are the leader of his group."

"Yes, I am. I have led them on many missions."

Seki bowed his head. "It's an honor to meet you."

Clearly Seki must have thought Kakashi's position was similar to the one Ryosuke had. If Kakashi was a leader, then he must have been a leader like the one Seki was familiar with.

"I do lead the team, however, there are people more powerful than myself. The Hokage leads the entire village, but she's gone missing."

Seki raised his head. "It's still an honor. You seem kind. I am Seki."

"Pleasure to meet you." Kakashi looked at Naruto who gave him an approving look. Kakashi looked back at Seki. "So I understand that you need some help entering the village. Humans scare you. I can understand that. So I'll let you use my body for a time so you can meet with the rest of Naruto's friends. They're eager to meet you. Naruto didn't want them all to come out here to see you because he thought it would make you uncomfortable. So I'm willing to help you out."

"Thanks."

"Naruto's friends are really worried about this enemy you warned Naruto about. Two people have already gone missing so they're really frightened. If they seem upset or start yelling, it's not because of you. You know how it is when people get scared."

"I understand." Seki bowed his head a second time. "Thank you for letting me do this."

Kakashi nodded. "There's just a few things I want to ask you first. About this possession thing. I trust you with my body but I want to make sure everything works out. Is there anything I should know or do to make it go easier? I don't want my body to take damage from this."

"Nothing like that will happen. I can take over a person's body easily. It works better on a sleeping person because they don't know what's going on. If a person is awake, they're more likely to resist. Especially if they have a strong will and know they're being possessed. To make it easier for me, you have to surrender your will to me. That way I can take control of your body and no one will have any trouble. Otherwise, we'll both be fighting over control for the body. If you willingly let me possess you there won't be any problems."

Kakashi nodded. "Alright. I trust you." Kakashi looked Seki over. "So how do we do this? What should I do? Do you have to enter a certain way?"

"Your back is fine."

"Alright." Kakshi turned his back to Seki and sat on the ground. "This isn't going to hurt, is it?"

"I doubt it. Then again, I've never asked a human about it before. It's supposed to... Well, I don't know how it feels going in, but once I've taken over, it should feel like nothing. Like everything has been turned off. But I'm not sure. You might be aware of what I'm doing and you might not. If you resist, I think you'll know what's going on, but if that happens, I get forced out of your body."

"Got it. I won't resist." Kakashi faced forward. "Have at it."

Seki approached Kakashi. "Thank you for letting me do this. Just relax."

Kakashi kept his eyes shut and took a deep breath in. It almost looked like he was meditating. Behind him Seki sprang and dove into Kakashi's body. Kakashi flinched as the fox entered but didn't react otherwise.

A moment later, Kakashi's eyes opened and he stood on all fours.

"You doing good, Seki?" Naruto asked, shifting back into a human.

"Fine," said Kakashi though it was clearly Seki speaking using Kakashi's voice. "I just need to get on my back legs." He pushed himself up and stood. Naruto helped support him until he was able to walk on his own. Seki took in the world from this new perspective and looked satisfied. "Alright, let's go."

Naruto and Sakura took him back to the village.

The walk through the village was clam and intense. Seki, using Kakashi's body as a vessel of protection, walked stiffly and unsure into the village. When humans weren't looking at him, he was less afraid. When there were few humans around, he was more willing to enter a village. Now that he was walking among them in the daylight, having their eyes upon him and knowing that a few of them knew he was really a kitsune, Seki was nervous. Naruto couldn't help but think if his brother hadn't been killed by a human, he would be less afraid and able to walk without being so nervous of the people surrounding him.

"Seki was the one you saw that night outside the palace, Sakura. From outside your room," Naruto whispered. Even then, Seki refused to approach when a human was looking directly at him. "I think Seki's better about sneaking into a village or someplace at night because he knows everyone's asleep and won't notice him."

"Oh." Sakura remembered that night well. Seki just stood there in the yard and watched without making any moves. At the time, Naruto was a kitsune in her room and she was unaware of the curse. She thought they were normal foxes wandering around. Seki was frozen there watching them as if he was afraid she would either hurt him or hurt Naruto. So he watched to see what she would do to his friend. Now that she thought about it, Sakura wondered if he was watching her out of fear that she would do something to him or fear of what she would do to Naruto. It was like a fearful curiosity. What would she do to them? Was she a threat? Was Seki going to witness another death at the hands of a human being?

She didn't want Seki to be afraid of humans. Though he clearly possessed human intelligence, he was still an animal by nature. She would have to treat him like a frightened animal without being condescending.

They steered him towards the park, thinking it would make him more comfortable than being in the heart of the village surrounded by humans and buildings. Being around nature might put him at ease. Plus this way they could fit everyone together in a somewhat quiet environment where they could talk freely about the issue. There were few tables in the park but they managed to get one of the very few where they could sit and talk. Some had to stand or sit in the grass but that didn't matter.

When the group saw Kakashi, they all turned and stared, which made Seki nervous. He started to back away.

"It's ok. These are our friends. They're nice."

Seeing Naruto and Sakura consoling a shy Kakashi caused confusion and an exchange of looks among the group. Most were unaware of Kakashi being possessed by the fox.

Naruto held Kakashi's hand and introduced him to the group. "Guys, this is Seki. He agreed to meet everyone if he could possess Kakashi-sensei's body for the meeting. He's afraid to do it as a fox."

"We're not going to hurt him, if that's what he's thinking," said Tenten.

"He agreed. Kakashi was fine with Seki doing it this way. Seki's a little nervous so everyone be extra nice, ok?" Sakura told the group. Then she patted Kakashi on the back. "It's ok, Seki. Go ahead."

Kakashi stood in front of everyone. "Uh... Hello. I... I'm Seki."

The group said hello to him and introduced themselves one by one. When they were finished, Kakashi, or rather Seki, took a seat at the wooden park table for the meeting.

"We had a few questions we would like to ask you," said Shino. "Doing it this way eliminates having to run back and forth with messages. Otherwise, we would be sending Naruto back and forth to ask you questions and have him come all the way back to repeat what you told him. This way is easier and faster. We want to hear it from you directly."

"What would you like to know?"

Neji asked the first question. "Naruto tells us that you're aware of the enemy kitsune that have threatened our home. If you came here to warn Naruto, why didn't you just stop them yourself?"

"I'm just one kitsune. I came alone. My leader and the rest of my group are back at our home in the mountain. If we all left, the town and the mountain would be defealess. We must remain there to protect it and the human town below. The kitsune threatened the human town as well, expressing a desire to harm them for kicks. We do not do that. We were taught long ago not to fight with humans because it is wrong. If we behave like an enemy, we will become the enemy to the humans. If that happens, we will all be in danger because the humans would want to get rid of us."

"Don't kitsune pull pranks on people?" asked Sai.

"Our pranks aren't harmful to humans. They're simple tricks. Sometimes we give humans a start, but nothing too terrible. The one time we pulled a prank on a small child to scare him, he started crying. We felt terrible about it, so we used our magic to put on a show to cheer him up. We left him laughing. We tease is what we do. Never hurt. The kitsune who do that are bad kitsune. Humans will become our enemy if we push them too much. One kitsune already did that so we know what can come of it."

"So these kitsune are different."

"Yes. There are two types of kitsune. The benevolent kind who seek to be friends with humans and help them out. Which would be us. Then there are the vindictive. The ones who seek to harm humans for fun and flaunt their power. Those are the kind you're up against. They are our enemy as well. They tried to attack us but our leader drove them off. He can't leave the mountain, so I was sent in his place. I wanted to come. But just myself alone won't be enough. So I cursed Naruto into becoming a kitsune like before so we could do it together."

"It hasn't worked," said Sai. "Two people have already gone missing and one of them was our village leader."

"You didn't do a very good job of keeping them out," Neji said coldly.

Kakashi flinched, looking fearful. "I... I'm sorry. But I didn't know they had entered. I only sensed them nearby. Not in your village. And I never saw them enter through the gate. They must have gotten in another way. This village, like our mountain, has four sides, doesn't it? Maybe they came from that big thing over there with all the faces carved into it." Seki was referring to the Hokage monument. "I also told Naruto so that he could warn the people here in the village. Did you not look for them yourselves?"

They didn't have anything to say to that.

"Ok," Neji went on. "We lost another person the other night. Her name is Hinata. I found fur in her bedroom but there's no sign of her or a struggle."

Kakashi's head tilted down as Seki thought. "She might have been cursed."

"How does this curse thing work, anyway?" asked Ino.

"Curse is different for every fox. Even the one I gave Naruto is different from any other I've ever done and, while similar, it's different from his first curse experience with Reevo."

"So how do they work exactly?" asked Tenten. "Do they turn you into animals?"

"Not all of them, no. I understand that even Reevo didn't want to curse Naruto in that way. It just happened. A common curse is turning people into objects. The important thing to know there is that if the cursed object gets broken, the person dies."

"So..." Neji sounded worried. "If Hinata has been turned into a piece of glass and it gets cracked..?"

"She's dead. So you must be careful. On the plus side, once someone has been cursed, they cannot be cursed a second time. So Naruto can't get cursed as long as my curse is in effect."

"Well, that sounds helpful," said Lee. "How does one break the curse?"

"One of two ways. The caster must willingly remove the curse, or the caster of the curse must die. So if we kill the kitsune that cursed Hinata and the leader of the village, then the curses will be lifted and they will return to normal. I doubt that the kitsune would be willing to remove the curse themselves."

"That's good to know," said Sai. "So I take it that you can't break another kitsune's curse yourself?"

"No, I cannot."

"Tell us more about how you found out about this attack, Seki."

By this time, Seki was more comfortable around Naruto's human friends. He didn't seem frightened anymore and spoke confidently to them without stuttering or having a quiet tone. They seemed to be equals at this table now.

"I see. So how should we go about handling this enemy, Seki?"

"Well, you already know about the curse. Thankfully, only a fox possessing two or more tails can use it. Kitsune illusions would be tough for you to handle. We can fool all five senses and make it impossible for a human to tell the difference between what they see and what is real."

"Sounds like Genjutsu," said Ino. "But that can be broken by using a release technique or by causing yourself pain."

"That will not work against our illusions. They are not your jutsu stuff. Pain will not dispel it. A kitsune must end it one way or another. We must concentrate in order to use it. We can't keep it up all day for example. We would have to rest at some point. Also, kitsune can see through the illusions. Naruto will now be able to see through the deception, so if the enemy uses this, Naruto can tell you if it's real or not."

"What about possession?" Ino asked.

"Only one kitsune can possess a body at a time. If the person has strong will, they can force the kitsune out. Kakashi let me use his body so he's not resisting. However, if the person is possessed while they are sleeping, they will be unaware that they are being possessed which makes it harder for them to break it and force us out. It's still possible, but a lot harder."

Shino looked at the group. "This is all useful information. However, I think we need to learn more about kitsune strengths and weaknesses to better our chances."

"Agreed."

"I'm willing to share our weaknesses with you if it helps, but some of them might be different. A fear of humans isn't true for all kitsune. These ones don't fear humans at all so it will be more difficult. However..." Kakashi's head suddenly turned to one side and he screamed, jumping out of his seat. "Dog! Dog!"

Everyone looked at Akamaru who had appeared from down the path. Though Kiba was at the meeting, Akamaru was further away so Seki never noticed him until now. Akamaru must have taken himself on a walk and had just that moment returned.

Kakashi's body was in motion, scrambling away from the bench and over to the nearest tree he could find. It was hard to climb up the trunk without the claws Seki was used to. All he could do was hug the tree, Kakashi's legs scrapping the bark in a desperate attempt to climb to safety. "Dog!"

"What's wrong?" asked Kiba. "Akamaru won't hurt you. Would you, boy?"

"Get it away! Get it away from me!"

"It's ok, Seki!" Naruto tried to calm him down. "It's ok. We'll keep Akamaru away from you. He's just Kiba's partner. He's like a ninja, too. He won't hurt you. I promise."

It was strange having to talk Kakashi down from a tree like a frightened kitten. A little amusing but really awkward.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Ino.

"Kitsune have a fear of dogs. Even a hatred," Naruto explained. "Dogs hunt and kill foxes. Plus, dogs are able to detect a kitsune so they're a real threat to Seki and the other kitsune."

"So that's another weakness we can add to the list," said Shino. "Useful information, though perhaps the demonstration was a bit much. Now we've frightened the kitsune off."

"Kiba, get Akamaru out of here!"

"Why? He's not going to hurt him."

"Just do it!"

"Oh, fine!" Kiba led Akamaru away muttering to himself in annoyance.

Naruto turned back to the tree. "It's ok. He's gone. It's safe now."

Kakashi's body slid down the tree and onto the ground. "That was one big dog! A human could ride on it."

"Been there, done that."

"So dogs can sense the presence of a kitsune?" asked Shino.

"Yup."

"That's more useful information. Which would explain why so many dogs are out and about with ninja in the village. Will the enemy kitsune also be afraid of dogs?"

"Most are. I've never met one who didn't either hate or feared dogs."

"Anything else we need to talk about?" asked Naruto. He was thinking about Seki's well-being. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take before finally running off. He was also curious about Kakashi.

"I did have something to ask," said Sakura. "But it's more about you, Naruto."

"Me?"

"Seki," she said, "I noticed that Naruto has been acting a little different from usual. More animal-like. When you cursed him into being a kitsune, did that include animal instincts in addition to kitsune powers?"

Kakashi sat in the grass, looking very animal-like. Either Seki didn't care or he wasn't aware of how he was making Kakashi look at the moment. "Cursing Naruto was actually harder than I thought it would be. When I cursed him, I actually didn't know if he would be a kitsune all the time or if he would change at night like before. The fact that he changes at random is beyond my control. Which goes for his animal instincts. I didn't intentionally give those to him. It came with the curse."

"So you couldn't help it?"

"But I didn't get instincts when I had the first curse," said Naruto. "It's new with this one."

"Seki did say that the curse was different depending," pointed out Sai. "Will this be a problem?"

"I doubt it," Seki explained. "Even with our instincts, we have good control over our behavior. And Naruto wasn't frightened of that dog the way I was."

"But they seem to happen at random. Are you sure it won't be a problem?"

"I can't make any promises either way."

The group was silent. Even Naruto had nothing to say. Though he didn't find his animal instincts to be an issue, clearly Sakura was concerned about it.

"I have something I want to ask," said Shikamaru. "It's about how the enemy opperates. We all understand why the Hokage was taken. She's the leader of the village. Strategically, it would weaken us. However, I don't understand why they would take Hinata. Compared to the Hokage, she is not important."

"I can't answer that," said Seki. "I don't know their reasons for doing that."

"Also, the other thing I'm still a little confused on was why they would curse the Hokage," Shikamaru went on. "Getting her out of the way. I get that. But it's the way it was done. It was done quietly. It was as if they didn't want anyone to know right away. There wasn't a big show about it. If they did it quietly, then one would assume that there was a reason for it. Like getting her out of the way so someone else could take their place. You and Naruto told us about how that had happened before during a mission. If they were to repeat such a move, then they could have taken on the Hokage's form and no one would be the wiser. They could have used her form to take down the village from the inside, if that was their plan. The fact that they didn't do any such thing is a problem. I don't get their plan. What are they after?"

"Again, I don't know. I can't answer that. I don't know their plan or their reasons. Maybe they just want to weaken the village for something greater. Or scare you. I can't say."

Shikamaru brought up a good point. As far as what the enemy was planning, no one knew. Everything was in the dark. This had everyone worried. No one knew what their next move was going to be or the enemy's plan.

After the meeting, Seki said his good-byes and left in Kakashi's body. Naruto followed him out of the village alongside Sakura. "You did well with my friends, Seki."

"I do like them, Naruto. They seem very nice."

"Maybe one day you can talk to them as yourself instead of possessing someone."

"I suppose I could. I do feel better about it now. They were unfamiliar. That's part of it. I would feel better if I got to know them. And I did. Learn all you can before jumping in."

"That's a good idea, Seki."

"And Naruto. I'm sorry if this curse gets in your way. I was just trying to help."

"No way!" he said. "I like it. I actually kind of missed being a kitsune. It's great."

"Glad to hear it." They stopped outside the gate and Kakashi's body turned towards Naruto. "I'd better give him his body back. I'll see you later, Naruto. It was nice meeting your friends."

"I'm glad you met them. Thanks."

Kakashi faced forward and his eyes closed. A fox erupted from his chest and scampered into the road. Seki turned back to see the humans standing behind him. Kakashi wobbled for a moment, then looked at the fox in the road.

"I take it the meeting went well," he said.

Seki nodded. "Thank you for letting me use your body."

"Sure thing. Nice meeting you, Seki."

Seki nodded his head and ran off into the woods.

Kakashi turned back to the teenagers watching him with curious eyes. "What's up?" This was definitely Kakashi.

When they returned to the village, they started asking him questions about the experience. "What was it like? How did it feel? Do you remember anything? Was it weird?"

"Oh, it was actually pretty relaxing. I didn't have to lift a finger. It was actually pretty interesting. For most of it, there was nothing. Like I wasn't aware of anything, which was nice. I couldn't feel what was happening to my body or hear what Seki was saying using my mouth. Then there were moments when I could feel myself moving and speaking. Like someone was pulling strings. But I didn't resist. I was just along for the ride."

"So that's how it felt, Sensei?"

"More or less. It's actually hard to explain."

"But it was ok?"

Kakashi nodded. "Gai didn't show up at anytime during the event, did he?"

"No."

"Then it was great."

Sakura put her hands on her hips. "I knew you were avoiding him!"

Kakashi looked at the sky. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

All in all, it was a great day. Naruto got to train, hang out with his friends, introduce Seki to them and saw Kakashi act like a frightened fox all in one afternoon. He even had time to pig out on some ramen and buy more after he ran out. He thought it was a good day. Even though a part of the day featured a meeting discussing a very serious matter.

Shikamaru was right. The kitsune had options. Why did they go about it this way? It would have been easy for them to impersonate the Hokage and take down the village from the inside as Shikamaru had said. The fact that they didn't was worrisome. They might have been planning something else. Or maybe they thought that someone would know something was amiss if the Hokage was acting differently. With so many dogs in the village, the kitsune might have not wanted to stick around. That was another explanation.

Naruto stared at his ceiling in thought. He wanted to solve this issue and rescue the people who have been cursed.

"Maybe they took Hinata just to prove that they could. It had nothing to do with her being powerful or a threat. Maybe the point was to scare us into thinking anyone could be next. Or to show off their power and scare us that way. Maybe the whole point is to scare us."

Naruto turned over in his bed and tried to get some rest. He wasn't feeling very tired and had so much on his mind.

From outside his window, Naruto could hear people yelling and running around. The clock told Naruto it was close to midnight. No one should have been running around at this hour unless there was a problem. He got out of bed and went to the window. He could see flames in the distance.

"The village is on fire?" Naruto could hardly believe it. Multiple homes were going up in flames. The village looked like a giant torch.

He climbed out of his window and onto the roof. He jumped from building to building, wanting to get closer to the action. Strangely, he couldn't smell smoke. Even without his fox nose, the fire was certainly large enough that his human nose could detect something even from this distance. That's when he realized the truth.

"It's an illusion!"

Sure enough, as he got closer he saw that the flames were all fake. His kitsune powers allowed him to see the truth, no matter how convincing the flames.

It was enough to fool the rest of the village, however. People were running out of their homes and fighting the fake flames with buckets of water. It was all pointless. There was no fire. They were dumping water on dry buildings.

Further down the road, Naruto could see some of his friends fighting back the imaginary flames. Shikamaru was throwing bucket after bucket onto the fire outside his home. Naruto hurried over to stop him. "Shikamaru, wait! Stop! It's ok."

"Out of the way, Naruto!" Shikamaru tried to throw the bucket of water onto the fake fire. Naruto kept getting in his way. "Move! What are you doing? Can't you see we have a huge problem here? Why aren't you helping put out the fire? The whole village is going up in smoke!"

"It's not real!" Naruto knocked the bucket out of his hands. "It's all an illusion."

"What?"

"It's not real! See?" Naruto put his hand directly on the flame. His fingers touched cold, damp wood. "It's all fake. You're wasting water on nothing."

Shikamaru stared in disbelief at the fire. "It's... fake? An illusion?" He was shocked. "But... I can actually feel the heat on my face. This is one hell of an illusion."

"That's fox magic for you."

Shikamaru looked away from the flame. "If this is a kitsune illusion... then they must be in the village. Why else would they be doing this if they're..."

Naruto knew before Shikamaru could say it. "They're making their move."

"Exactly," said Shikamaru. "This fire is a distraction!"

Both knew they had to find the kitsune. Doing it alone would be difficult which was why this fire illusion was cast. No one would be looking for the kitsune. They either had to look for the kitsune themselves or warn the rest of the village that this was an illusion and get them to help in the search.

"I'll look for the fox," said Naruto. "You tell everyone that this is all an illusion."

"But wait!" Shikamaru reached for him but Naruto was already running away. "Naruto!"

Naruto ran down the street, narrowly avoiding people with buckets along the way. Then, thinking it would be easier, he shifted into his kitsune form mid-run and continued on his way. He was closer to the ground which meant he was nearly stepped on multiple times by running villagers. Without the smell of smoke to distract him, Naruto was free to sniff around for the enemy. Though he didn't know the enemy's scent, his method was to sniff around for something that didn't smell familiar. That was how he would find the kitsune responsible.

Taking a turn down another street, he spotted something furry and around his size. At first he thought it was Seki but he was mistaken. However, it was a fox.

Both froze in the street, staring at each other in surprise.

This fox had two tails, just like Seki. The eyes were different. Seki's eyes were a combination of gold and brown. This fox had red-orange eyes like the color of a sunset.

The fox hissed at Naruto. He hissed back, arcing his back. Naruto was ready to fight.

"Get the hell out of my village!"

"Your village? What makes it yours?" asked the fox.

"It's my home! Who are you? What's your name?"

"I'll give you mine if you tell me yours."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

The fox sneered. "Oh, so you're Naruto. I was wondering. Though I should have guessed. I had no idea you would be a kitsune, too. Unless, of course, that is a curse you're under."

So these kitsune didn't know what he looked like. They only knew his name and not who he was. A sickening thought occurred to Naruto. If that was the case, then it was possible that the kitsune cursed anyone they thought would be Naruto. That was odd considering that all the victims so far were all female.

In light of how little information they had on him, Naruto wasn't going to admit being a human being. "I'm a kitsune. What of it?" Technically he was a kitsune and he was proud of it. After all he had been through with the kitsune, he felt he was one of them anyway. They certainly accepted him as one, so calling himself a kitsune wasn't a complete lie.

The fox smirked. "Even so, you're still a one-tail. No match for me at all." He wagged his two tails with pride. "I am Mikale."

"Mikale, get out of my village and leave us alone."

He laughed. "I don't think so. If you want me to leave, you're going to have to make me."

"Fine!" Naruto ran forward and pounced on the enemy fox. He sank his teeth into Mikale's shoulder and tried to force him down with the momentum from his leap. Mikale remained standing and scratched Naruto's back and limbs. Naruto was forced back and into the dirt. This kitsune was strong! Additional tails didn't just mean an increase of fox magic powers, but strength as well.

Naruto kicked him and tried to land another hit but Mikale was quick to evade and bit him on the stomach. Naruto howled in pain and kicked Mikale away from him.

When Mikale moved in for another attack, a kunai landed point-down at his paws. He stopped and looked up. Shikamaru was standing over him with another kunai waiting. Mikale hissed.

Shikamaru aimed his second blade at the fox and threw it.

"It's not..!" Naruto tried to warn but it was too late. Shikamaru's blade passed through the fox's head and landed in the dirt. "He cast another illusion!" Naruto started to run in another direction. "He ran that way!"

"Damn it, they're good." Shikamaru couldn't tell the difference. These illusions were very convincing. He followed after Naruto hoping that he wasn't following another deception.

Mikale was quick to flee down the street and over to the gate, his only means of escape. He couldn't see it yet but he knew where it was. All he had to do was make it down another few streets and he would be free. Naruto was hot on his heels, unwilling to let him escape despite his earlier order to leave the village. "That boy needs to make up his mind."

"Rah!"

Something plowed into him from the side and he went tumbling into a collection of trashcans. When he looked up, he saw another kitsune with two tails biting him. Seki had come to help.

"Get him, Seki!" Naruto cheered, catching up.

The two went at it, biting and scratching and tearing out fur. When Naruto tried to jump in and help, he found that he was only in the way. In the scrap, Seki kicked Naruto by accident and was nearly bitten by Mikale. He jumped back to avoid another attack and decided to let them battle it out.

When Mikale raised his paw, Seki jumped back as fast as he could. Mikale was planning on using a curse. Taking this chance, Mikale got up and ran for the gate. Since Seki wasn't under a curse, he was at risk. Naruto was not. He ran after Mikale without fear. He had to catch him.

"Be careful, Naruto!" Seki warned and chased after him.

Thinking he had nothing to worry about, Naruto sprinted after Mikale as fast as he could. He was almost within reach. Just a few more feet and...

"Gotcha!" A pot came down on Naruto and he was thrown into darkness. He was trapped.

By this time, both Shikamaru and Seki had arrived. They saw a villager holding a large pot over Naruto, thinking they had captured an enemy.

"Wait, wait!" Shikamaru came over to set things straight. "That's not an enemy. It's just Naruto. Please, let him out."

The pot was removed and Naruto came scrambling out and into the fresh air. He looked wildly around but he had lost sight of Mikale. "He got away!" If only that pot hadn't blocked him, he would have caught the enemy kitsune.

"So you're Seki, huh?" Shikamaru asked the fox beside him. "Nice to see how you really look. Can you track that kitsune that got away?"

Seki shook his head. "Sorry. And I didn't see which way he went. I could try but I make no promises." He looked at Naruto. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Naruto looked Seki up and down and smiled.

"What?"

"You came. You're in the village. As yourself."

Seki's ears flicked. Whether he was aware of this was unclear. He may have intended to enter the village despite his fears to help Naruto or sensed that he was in danger and came to help without thinking. Either way, Naruto was moved. This showed him just how loyal Seki was and just how much he cared about him and his home.

Naruto had put his faith in the right kitsune.

The flames engulfing the village had all vanished and everything was as it was. Damper, but otherwise normal. The whole village was in a state of bewilderment at the sudden disappearance of the fire no one could put out before. Many thought the fire was too big and out of control which was why it wasn't easily extinguished. Others thought it may have been some sort of trick but despite their efforts to break any jutsu spell they must have been under, the flames remained along with the heat and burning light coming from them. Due to the lack of damage but very real sensation, several people began to wonder if the whole thing was a dream.

"Mikale was the name of the fox," said Naruto. "And sure enough, he had two tails."

"So he could have cursed your friends," said Seki. "When I saw the flames and heard the people, I came in to help."

"Thanks."

"More importantly," said Shikamaru, "We need to figure out why that fox entered the village. Clearly he isn't afraid of humans. Even Seki said he wouldn't be. But entering and casting such an illusion. He wasn't trying to sneak in. He needed a distraction. The question is why."

"Maybe to curse someone else?" suggested Naruto.

"I don't think so. The first two times he's done this, he did it without anyone knowing about it. This time, it was like he wanted people to notice. I think he was after something bigger," said Shikamaru. "Just to be on the safe side, I'll have everyone do a head count and make sure everyone is here who should be."

"Should we go after him, Seki?" Naruto asked his friend.

"No. Judging from the way he was so quick to run, I'd say he wants us to follow him. If we were to do that, it would leave the village vulnerable. That was the same trick they tried with Ryosuke. Make him leave the land and sneak in when he isn't there to defend it."

"Sounds like a decent plan," said Shikamaru. "Keep an eye out but don't leave the village. He may return."

Naruto looked around the village feeling lost. That kitsune was here for a flash and gone in the next. He was strong. Strong enough to be a challenge for Naruto, so why leave so quickly? That weapon Shikamaru had couldn't have been enough to frighten him off. He managed to put up an illusion so Shikamaru would attack the wrong target. Did he get scared when another two-tails showed up? Why run? Why not take down the threat? If another two-tails was taken down, that would have meant less work for him.

"This doesn't make sense."

* * *

The next morning everything had returned to normal in the village. Few people were talking about the indecent since they had done their speaking about it during the night. The villagers were trying to put it out of their minds and move on. Some, however, couldn't forget about it. Naruto's friends couldn't overlook last night so easily and were very worried. If one kitsune could pull off something like that, what else were they capable of? They just caught a glimpse of what kitsune could do. They weren't expecting anything like this.

"I'm glad we got to see it for ourselves," said Shino. "Now we know what we're up against."

"Yup," said Kiba. "The enemy has shown their hand. Now that we've seen their power, we know what to expect and can counter it."

"Not necessarily," said Tenten. "We saw what they could do, but we still don't know the enemy's plan. Why were they here last night? What did they want?"

"The good news is that Naruto saw the enemy fox and learned his name. That's a plus."

"Yeah," Naruto said uneasily. "But I still don't like it."

"Hey, at least he ran off before he could cause more damage," said Kiba.

"I don't think so," said Shikamaru. "That fox didn't just come into the village to screw with us. I think it came here with certain intentions. When people were getting cursed, it was done quietly. This time, he practically put on a show. He wanted us to see the fire. He wanted us to panic. It was a distraction. The question is, a distraction from what? What was he doing that called for something like that to happen?"

"You really think a fox could come up with a devious plan of attack?" said Lee.

"You were at the meeting with Seki. You saw what he could do and how intelligent he was. Now doubt other kitsune are just as smart. If not more so."

"They are cunning," said Naruto. "I met another kitsune who was voted most cunning in the group. They're sneaky, too."

Tenten slumped in her seat. "This is bad. We've never faced an enemy like this before. There's no way to dispel those illusions and they're so good we can't tell what's real and what isn't. For all we know, this meeting we're having could be completely fake. It's not happening at all and no one is here with me. That's a scary thought. How are we supposed to combat something like that?"

"One thing at a time," said Ino. "First we have to figure out what their plan is and why that kitsune came into the village last night in the first place. We have to find out what he was after. Did anyone go missing last night?"

Sakura shook her head. "No. Shizune checked and everyone is accounted for and no one was reported missing. And if they never used a distraction to curse someone before, why start now?"

"Unless they weren't here to curse anyone," said Shikamaru. "They were after something else. We just have to find out what. It wasn't to curse anyone and I doubt it's to show off."

"What else is there? Why else would they come into the village and use an illusion like that? What were they after? What did they do?"

* * *

While the meeting was going on and the rest of the village carried on with their lives, security had been tightened around the gate and wall surrounding the village. Though kitsune weren't normally active during the day, they weren't going to take any chances. Naruto explained that a kitsune could change its sleep pattern if need be, so no one wanted to take that risk. No kitsune was entering this village anymore. Sadly, that included Seki. He was uncomfortable entering the village to begin with but last night he did so without fear for Naruto's sake. Just as he was getting more comfortable with it, the ban on kitsune entry had to happen. Now he would be chased away if he tried to enter, or attacked. This didn't help. Naruto was especially upset with it, but he understood why this was.

Ninja were all over the village on a regular basis. Now, most of them were on guard duty and focused most of their attention near the gate. Some were allowed to roam wherever they wanted or weren't put on guard duty at all. Those who weren't were still expected to keep an eye out.

Knowing this, Gai didn't see any reason why he couldn't keep a watchful eye while challenging Kakashi to a friendly battle. He could do both.

"So, Kakashi! You managed to evade me yesterday but don't think you can slip past me two days in a row. I let you off easy."

Kakashi ignored him as usual.

"Come on, my dear rival. I see you're still upset about last night's events. Never fear! I know what will take your mind off things. A good battle with me! Come on! This handsome devil isn't too much for you, is he?"

Again, Kakashi ignored him. Gai was used to this. In fact, he rarely noticed he was doing it, going on and on in Kakashi's ear as he read from his favorite book. This time was no different. The only real difference was that this time Kakashi didn't have a book in his hands. He was just ignoring him.

"You're being awfully quiet, Kakashi. Fear not! I'll go easy on you." Gai frowned. "Are you scared?"

Kakashi didn't respond.

Gai was starting to get worried. "Are you feeling alright, Kakashi? You seem awfully quiet. Even for you. Are you ok?"

"I am fine," Kakashi said softly. "Don't worry about me."

"If you're sure..." Gai suddenly cheered up and pumped his fists in the air. "Alright! Then let's get started! What shall we do today? I'll let you pick this time, since I'm a gentleman. See? I'm a good sport. So what shall it be?"

Kakashi didn't answer.

"I see. You're unsure. Drawing a blank. Very well. I'll throw out some ideas and you can pick whichever one you like. We could do five hundred laps around the village, or five hundred backwards on our hands, or a race around the village blindfolded, or a good old fashioned eating contest. Any of those sound good to you? I'm up for whatever you choose."

Kakashi turned away, taking a different path.

"Where are you going? I have more suggestions if you don't like any of those."

"I'm not interested. Feel free to do what you want. I have something else to do."

Gai watched Kakashi leave, scratching his head. "Well... ok. If that's what you want." Gai frowned. "He must not be feeling well."

* * *

Now things get interesting.

Please review ^-^


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

The entire morning was uneventful in the Leaf Village. Naruto and his friends had their meeting and everyone went a different way when it was finished. Naruto and Sakura were left by themselves.

Sensing that Naruto was still upset, Sakura decided to stay with him for a little longer. "It's ok, Naruto. Seki can handle himself."

"But now he can't come into the village to warn us in case something else happens."

"I know. But you're still here. Seki can do his thing out there and you can do your thing in here."

Naruto sighed. He hated the thought of Seki being banned from the village all because of last night. He knew there was more to it than that but it felt unfair to the good kitsune. They had to prevent anyone, especially foxes from entering the village. It wasn't worth the risk.

Kakashi approached from behind. He watched the two for a moment then announced his presence. "Hello, Naruto. And I see you're here, too."

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura greeted. "Hello. So I guess you weren't put on guard duty like a lot of the other Jonin."

"No, I wasn't asked." Kakashi looked from one to the other. "What's got Naruto so upset?"

"Oh, he's sad because they won't let his friend Seki back into the village."

"Aw, that's a shame." Kakashi looked at Naruto who had his back turned. "You must really care about him. Sorry to hear that. But don't worry. He can handle himself."

Naruto had nothing to say. It was just more of the same pep-talk Sakura was giving him a moment ago.

Kakashi turned back to Sakura. "Why don't you give me a minute alone with him and you can go check on things."

"Things where?"

"You know, wherever they need you."

Sakura frowned. "You sure, Sensei?"

"I've got this. I know how to talk to Naruto." He turned his head. "Isn't that right? I guess she couldn't get through to you, could she? I'll handle this."

Sakura started to back away. "Well, ok. If that's what you want. Good luck helping Naruto, Sensei."

"Of course. There's nothing to worry about. Naruto's just a little down."

Sakura walked away but didn't leave. She knew Kakashi was watching her. She walked further away and pretended to leave the park. Instead, she hid behind a tree near the entrance. Something was off about Kakashi. For one thing, he never addressed her by name which was odd. Secondly, he never had a talk with Naruto unless it was truly important and if he did, he never asked Sakura to leave. This situation didn't seem like one in need of one of those talks. He wanted Naruto alone for another reason.

Kakashi stood over Naruto with his hands at his sides. "So, you want to talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about," said Naruto. "I'm not that depressed. Just a little bummed. That's all. I don't need you telling me the same thing Sakura did a minute ago."

"Alright, be that way. If you want to be alone, you want to be alone. I get that."

Kakashi stared at Naruto's back. Naruto wasn't going to turn around. It was as if him keeping his back turned was his way of telling everyone who saw him that he wanted to be left alone. He didn't want anyone to stick around. Sakura obeyed such a message. At least she would have if her sensei hadn't told her to leave. Kakashi, however, did what he wanted.

Kakashi opened the bag strapped to his waist and pulled out a kunai. He slowly and carefully approached Naruto without making a sound.

Naruto's spine tingled. His nose twitched. He was sensing something. Even in his human form, he could still sense things. Maybe it was a combination of his ninja skills and his animal instinct. He was sensing danger. Behind him.

Alert, his fox features revealed themselves and he reacted. In one fast motion, Naruto spun around and grabbed Kakashi's hand. The kunai stopped before it could enter his body.

"K- Kakashi-sensei?"

He tried to force the blade forward but Naruto held his hand in place. He pushed forward with both hands. Naruto forced the kunai down and jumped back. In his hybrid form, Naruto took a fighting stance. Kakashi lifted the kunai and ran forward in a direct attack.

This was odd behavior for Kakashi. Naruto couldn't tell if he was doing this to distract him from his emotions or if he truly intended to hurt him. From what he was seeing, Kakashi was trying to kill him.

"Kakashi-sensei? What are you..?" Naruto sniffed his body. This was Kakashi. But why would Kakashi be attacking him? Was he attacking an illusion a kitsune cast? That couldn't have been it. Naruto didn't see any illusion. When he looked down at his body he saw that there were no illusions wrapped around or near him. Kakashi wasn't hallucinating. He was willingly doing this. "Kakashi-sen..?"

His one visible eye was the color of sunset. Orange and red.

"Mikale!"

Kakashi's mask wrinkled in a smirk. "So you figured it out, have you?" Kakashi was being possessed by the kitsune.

"Get the hell out of my sensei!"

"The hell I will. This is fun. Tell me, Naruto. How does it feel to be killed by the hands of your sensei?"

The kunai moved and stabbed Naruto in the stomach.

"Gah!" Naruto tried to pull the kunai out but Kakashi's hand was still on the handle. Using Kakashi's strength, Mikale pushed into Naruto, trying to knock him down and force the blade in even deeper. Unwilling to yield, Naruto shoved Kakashi away and threw the kunai away. Blood stained his jacket.

Kakashi pulled himself into a different stance. It wasn't any stance a human would use for fighting. It was one a fox would use. Kakashi's back arched and he kept his fingers flexed like claws, though he had none.

A pink blur ran up behind him and tried to pummel him from behind. Kakashi's body whirled around and kicked Sakura in the stomach. When she fell back, Kakashi jumped on top of her and pinned her down, straddling her. Sakura held his hands in place as he tried to scratch her face with his nails. Even in a human body, fox habits were hard to resist. He was still fighting like a fox.

"Get off her!" Naruto demanded.

"You're going to have to make me." Kakashi pressed Sakura into the ground. Using Kakashi's body gave him great strength. Their sensei was strong. He had chosen a good body to overtake.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura tried to push him off but in this position she couldn't get any momentum. She wasn't able to use her strength to throw him off.

"That's not Sensei!" yelled Naruto. "It's Mikale possessing Kakashi's body!"

"What?!" Sakura looked into the orange-red eye staring her in the face. "But I thought Kakashi had to give a kitsune control. Like with Seki. Kakashi allowed him to take over. Why would he let this kitsune possess him?"

"It's easy," said Mikale. "If they're asleep."

Naruto gasped. "Kakashi-sensei was possessed without knowing it! Mikale must have jumped him when he went to bed last night. Kakashi-sensei can't resist if he isn't aware!"

"Exactly!" laughed Mikale.

That explained why Kakashi wasn't fighting back. He couldn't. He wasn't aware of anything that was happening. He didn't even know he was being possessed so he didn't know to resist. Mikale was one sneaky, underhanded fox.

"Then we have to wake him up!" cried Sakura, now trying to kick her assailant off.

"You can't," said Mikale. "He can't even hear you. When a kitsune possesses a sleeping person, they have complete control and the victim is none the wiser. You may as well be trying to wake a corpse."

During Naruto's kitsune training, the foxes did tell Naruto that possessing a sleeping victim was the best way to go because they wouldn't be able to resist. Getting Kakashi to come to his senses was going to be next to impossible.

Unless they appealed to his will. If Kakashi had a strong enough will, enough shouting and pleading could in theory break the kitsune's control. If that failed, then they would have to beat his body. The kitsune was just borrowing it. It was still Kakashi's, so he should be able to feel any pain being done to his body. If it was severe enough. Otherwise, it may have been the equivalency of someone being put under for surgery. They would never know or feel anything that was being done to them.

Despite all this, Naruto was still willing to try. He had to.

"Kakashi-sensei! It's me, Naruto!" He had to reach him. "Snap out of it! You're being possessed and he's making you hurt Sakura. You have to stop him!"

"I told you, he can't hear you."

"Come on, Sensei. Wake up!"

"Your voice is annoying," said Mikale. "If anything, he'll just ignore you. Why would he want to come back anyway? Just to deal with two weaklings who are more annoying than they realize. Even if he could hear you, I bet he would ignore you. Who would want to help you pathetic people? So weak."

"Weak?" said Sakura. "Look who's talking! You're so pathetic, you had to take the body of a lowly human in order to do anything!"

Mikale pressed Sakura deeper into the ground. She started to sink into the soil. "For your information, I didn't take this body because I was weak. I did it because I wanted to."

"Then come out and prove to us how strong you are as a fox!"

"You won't trick me. I'm a kitsune. We're the tricky ones."

Mikale wasn't coming out. He wouldn't take the bait. They had no other option but to call out to Kakashi and hope he was able to hear them and break free.

"Kakashi-sensei! Please! Can you hear me? It's Naruto! Come on, Sensei!"

"What part of 'he can't hear you' do you not understand?" Mikale bent forward and bashed Kakashi's forehead into Sakura's. She yelped but wasn't badly injured. Getting headbutted was enough to make her lose her grip and Kakashi's hand was free. He slashed her across the face with his nails. They didn't cause the same amount of damage as claws would have but it was enough to make her bleed.

"Stop it, Sensei!" Naruto ran forward and pushed Kakashi away from Sakura. Mikale grabbed Naruto's fox ear and pulled. Kakashi's legs wrapped around Naruto's hips, trapping him. They rolled around in the grass, scratching and punching each other. With the mask on, Kakashi couldn't bite him, but he was dangerous enough, even if he was fighting like a fox. "Kakashi-sen-"

Kakashi started choking Naruto with his left hand. The other was keeping Naruto's hand at bay. Sakura got up and tried to force the two apart.

"Kakashi-sensei! If you're in there, please fight back! You're hurting Naruto! Please! Stop it!"

They rolled over each other again and Sakura had to move out of the way to keep from being tripped. Kakashi was on top, crushing Naruto's windpipe. He removed his other hand from Naruto's to retrieve another kunai from his pouch. When Sakura saw this, she tried to take it away but the tip ended up cutting the palm of her hand as Kakashi waved it. Instead, she tried to pry his arm away from Naruto's throat. When she tried that, the kunai sank into her arm and blood sprayed Kakashi and Naruto in the face. She jumped back, covering the wound with her hand.

Angry, Naruto sank his claws into Kakashi's arm and twisted it. He was free. Mikale gave Naruto a parting shot with the kunai, slicing his ankle. Kunai in hand, Kakashi ran to Naruto and threw him into a tree. Naruto punched him in the face and Kakashi cut his cheek. Naruto kneed him in the stomach and Kakashi took a swing at Naruto's head. Then he tried to bring the kunai into Naruto's neck but he forced his hand back. Naruto bit Kakashi's wrist, causing the kunai to drop.

"Naruto, remember that's Kakashi!" Sakura warned. "We don't want to hurt him!"

He knew she was right but something in Naruto wanted to hurt him. He wanted to win this fight and defeat his sensei. Was it the fox in him feeling threatened? Naruto had to resist. He took his teeth off Kakashi's wrist and tried using words again.

"Kakashi-sensei. In that book you like. The new one. I know you finished reading it, but there's a special extended edition you haven't seen you. Did you know that? It-"

Mikale closed Kakashi's fingers around his throat. "He can't hear you," he mocked.

Appealing to Kakashi's love of his favorite books wasn't working either. Maybe Mikale was right and there was no way to reach him.

Naruto wasn't giving up. He pulled on Kakashi's fingers, trying to get enough air to speak. "Kakashi-sensei..! It's me! Please! Kakashi-sensei! You're hurting me!"

Kakashi would always protect his friends and never let anything happen to them. They knew that. So if Kakashi thought something was happening to them, maybe it would be enough to shock him back into consciousness.

"Sensei, please!" Naruto gasped. "Please! You're hurting me..! K- Kakashi-sensei..!" He couldn't breathe. "K- Ka... kashi..!"

"Sensei!" Sakura wailed. "Help! Please! Sensei! Naruto and I need you! Please, stop! Help us, Kakashi-sensei! Please! Please!"

Their voices couldn't reach him.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"Please! Kakashi-sensei!"

Somewhere deep inside the darkness, Kakashi began to stir. Faintly, he could hear voices. _Who's calling me?_ he wondered. Someone was calling his name. It sounded so far away he could barely hear it. At first he thought he was imagining it but the voices started to get louder. _Who's calling me?_

He could hear the voices of his students. They were screaming for him. Screaming for help.

 _Naruto..? And Sakura? Why are you calling me?_

He had gone to bed after the fire was out. He remembered going to sleep. Was he still in bed? Did they come here to wake him? He must have overslept so they came to wake him. He could hear them telling him to wake up so he must have been still asleep.

 _Ahh... And I was having such a good sleep, too. I suppose I should get up._

Something was off. Something didn't feel right. This darkness was different from anything he had seen before. His eyes didn't feel closed and yet it was so dark. This numb feeling, too. He felt helpless. Like he couldn't move. Yet he felt something. Where were his limbs? Why couldn't be find them? What was this feeling?

He could hear their voices getting louder. They were calling for help. They must have been in danger. He couldn't stand the sound of their voices. They sounded desperate and afraid. They must have been in real peril. This was no time to be sleeping. He had to wake up and help them.

Where were they? Why couldn't he see them? He couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not. It felt like they were and yet he couldn't see. He could hear them so clearly. They sounded like they were right on top of him. He wanted to see them. They were so close and yet he couldn't find them. He wanted to see them. He had to see them.

Slowly, the darkness started to fade. He was looking through fog. He could see the blurry image of Naruto's face. He was covered in blood. He was looking right at him. Someone's hands were around his neck, strangling him.

His hands. Those were his hands!

 _What am I doing?!_

"K- Kakashi-sensei..! Please help me..!"

He had to stop! He had to stop this! He couldn't control his hands. They were moving on their own. He could barely feel them, as if they, too, were asleep.

 _I want to stop! Stop! Enough!_

With all the strength of his will, Kakashi forced his hands to move.

Kakashi's hands loosened their grip around Naruto's throat and Naruto watched as his sensei's limbs started to tremble. Naruto coughed and looked into his one visible eye. "S- Sensei..?"

"What the hell?!" Mikale growled. Kakashi's hands moved forward then back. Then forward again. "No!" Kakashi's hands were thrown back. Kakashi started to go into convulsions.

Sakura hurried over but Naruto held up his hand to stop her. "He's fighting for control. Leave him." There was nothing they could do. Kakashi had to win this fight on his own.

"Stop it! What the hell is going on?" Mikale snarled. "You're not supposed to fight back. You don't know what's going on. I made sure of that. That's why I took you when you didn't know. It was so easy. Why is this happening?!"

Kakashi's body started thrashing.

"Get out! Get out of my body!" That was Kakashi speaking. "Get out of me! Now!"

"Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura watched in astonishment as her sensei fought for control. It was a battle of will, not fists. She wanted to see him win.

"Stop it! Knock it off! Just go back to sleep!" Kakashi turned his head as if shaking it 'no'. "Get out of my body now! I won't let you hurt my students!" His back arched. "It's your body! You're the one who's hurting them!" He writhed in the grass. "You made me do it, didn't you? Get out of me right now!" He shook. "Make me, human!"

Kakashi's body was trembling as if he were very cold. He was hunched over on all fours, looking like he was ready to vomit. Then with a mighty yell, an orange fox was forced out of his back and onto the ground.

Kakashi remained hunched, catching his breath.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura ran to his side, knowing it was safe to do so.

With her help, Kakashi stood. Panting, he turned to look at the fox. Mikale was on the ground panting as well. The two stared at each other for a moment as if exchanging silent words with their gaze. "How long have you been inside me?" Kakashi asked.

"Does it matter?"

Kakashi didn't respond.

Naruto watched Kakashi carefully, waiting for him to make a move. Surely he would want to stop the fox once and for all. If not to stop this sort of thing from happening again, then to get revenge for putting him through this in the first place. Kakashi would want revenge for being possessed and forced into hurting the people he cared about.

Only he didn't make a move to do so. He never reached for a weapon and showed no signs of wanting to attack.

Naruto didn't want to wait around for Kakashi to decide on an attack. He wanted revenge as well. He wanted Mikale to pay for possessing his sensei and attacking them in his body. He couldn't let it slide. He wanted Mikale to pay.

Getting down on all fours, Naruto assumed his fox form and snarled at Mikale. His opponent was less than willing, backing away with his ears pinned back. Mikale knew he was outmatched. He turned tail and ran. Snarling, Naruto followed.

"Naruto, stop!" came Kakashi's voice.

Naruto froze. He turned around to look at his sensei. "What? Why'd you stop me? I could have got him!"

"If you did, then what, Naruto?" he asked. "Would you have taken revenge? Would you have killed him?"

Naruto looked at the grass. He did intend to go after Mikale for revenge. As far as killing him went, Naruto wasn't sure.

"The way you're feeling now, you might end up killing that fox."

"So what if I do?" asked Naruto angrily. "He's not only the enemy, but killing him will reverse everyone's curse and things will go back to normal."

"But we don't know his plan or where he's taken the Hokage or anyone else he's cursed. If we kill him, we'll never know his plan or any other intentions he may have," said Kakashi. "It's best if we take him alive."

"Interrogating him won't work. Besides, aren't you pissed that he possessed you and had you attack us?"

"Of course I'm upset by that. Furious even. But he's no longer in my body and I didn't hurt anyone too severely."

"But Kakashi-sensei..." said Sakura. "You stopped Naruto from chasing him. Now we don't knew where that fox is or where he's going. For all we know, he could jump into someone else's body and do the same thing. We should have kept an eye on him."

Kakashi shook his head. "No. Neither one of us would have been a match for him anyway. We could have been possessed ourselves if we went after him and even if he didn't, he could have cast an illusion to fool us. Chasing him would solve nothing. We could end up chasing an illusion. And if Naruto had gone after him, being the only one who can see through such illusions, he would have killed him. Naruto's too upset right now to think clearly. We would have had to go together to do anything. We couldn't go alone and Naruto couldn't go alone. But at the moment, I had to stop Naruto. That was most important. So even if we left in a group, Naruto would have still attacked and possibly killed that fox. This was the right choice."

"I guess so... But that fox is still out there and has to be stopped."

"And he will be," assured Kakashi. "It's the middle of the day and he's exposed. It was explained that a person who is awake is more difficult to possess because they'll be able to resist. We would have to be more concerned if it were evening. There are plenty of ninja dogs around the village so someone is bound to find that fox. If he's running for the main gate, he'll be running past all those guards. Don't worry. We'll catch him one way or another."

Kakashi sounded so calm about all this. He had good reasons but Naruto still had his doubts. While Kakashi was keeping his cool, Naruto's blood was boiling.

This latest attack was too close for comfort. Mikale had just possessed Kakashi and was planning on using him to attack Naruto and his friends. He planned to kill Naruto with Kakashi's hands. That was just plain cruel. It wasn't enough to kill Naruto. Mikale wanted his friends to suffer, too. He wanted Kakashi to kill him so Naruto would die at the hands of a helpless friend who didn't know what he was doing. If he succeeded, Kakashi would wake up, realize what he had done and Naruto couldn't begin to think of what state Kakashi would be in then. He might go off the deep end. He might blame himself. Who knew? All Naruto knew was that Kakashi would be inconsolable. Upset wouldn't begin to describe the state he would be in after having done something so horrible to one of his own students.

Naruto couldn't let Mikale get away with this. He had to be stopped.

* * *

Mikale managed to escape from the Leaf Village without possessing anyone else. Just as Kakashi had said, the dogs in the village took notice of Mikale and chased him to the gate. Unfortunately he got away before anyone could grab him. Since the dogs weren't reacting, it was safe to assume that Mikale had gotten away and wasn't in the village anymore.

Even so, no one wanted to take any chances. After hearing about Kakashi's possession, Shizune and a few of the other higher-ups put the Leaf Village under lock-down until further notice. No one was allowed to leave the village and no one was allowed to enter. No one, not even the kitsune was getting in or out of this village now. Seki was no longer allowed in the village anyway but this made it even harder for Naruto to see him. Seki was still out there and now not even Naruto was able to see him. He, like everyone else, wasn't allowed to leave the village.

Mikale was still out there and no one could find him.

"We should get a search party out there to find him," said one of the ninja standing by the gate.

"We can't," said another. "Their illusions aren't like anything we've ever seen before. These aren't normal foxes we're dealing with. Did you hear about Kakashi getting possessed?"

"Yeah, I heard. Is he alright?"

"Yeah. He managed to get the fox out without any damage. He's doing fine. The fox ran off."

"Man, that Kakashi is something else. He managed to overpower that thing. Wish I was there to see it."

"I wasn't but I heard about it. Apparently it wasn't easy."

"As long as no one got hurt and he's doing ok."

Naruto stopped to listen on their conversation. After a while, he left.

Naruto found himself pacing around the main gate of the village which had now been closed and locked up tight. He felt like a caged animal seeking the forest. He wanted to be let out. It wasn't just the fox in him. It was his desire to stop Mikale once and for all.

"Forget it, Naruto," said a voice. Shikamaru was right beside him. "No one's allowed to leave. You can't go out there."

"I have to stop Mikale," he said. "I have to do something."

"And you did. You got Kakashi back to his senses. That's a win right there."

"But he's still out there. He can do it again. Who knows who he'll possess next time?"

"Naruto..."

He turned around to glare at Shikamaru. "Think about it. He's got Kakashi-sensei! He's like the best and he got possessed and was going to..." Naruto broke off there, turning away in an angry huff. Just the thought of it made him sick to his stomach. He was even angrier now. "I can't let him get away with it."

"He won't. Don't you see? Your other friend is out there on the other side of that wall. Seki can go after him. He's helping you, isn't he?"

"Yeah. But what if Seki gets cursed, too?" That was a horrible thought but one that was all too real. "He can still get cursed. I can't since I'm already under one. Seki can't do it alone. I have to help him."

"Naruto..."

"It's my village, too!" Naruto snapped. "I live here, Shikamaru! And so do you. And Sakura, and Kakashi-sensei and everyone we know. Mikale will come back. He'll attack again and something worse may happen. I can't let it."

"We have ninja on guard and there's even talk about sending out a group to go hunt down Mikale."

"That's not good enough," Naruto protested. "Even with the guards, Mikale still got in. He could sneak in at anytime. He could possess someone and do it that way."

"Which is why no one is allowed in or out, Naruto. Just in case he tried something like that."

"But he can use an illusions to hide himself so guards are useless. Don't you see, Shikamaru? He has the advantage. Even locked up like this, we're still in danger. I know his scent. I know what he looks like. And if we do send out ninja to go searching for him, they could mistake Seki for Mikale and kill him. They could kill the wrong fox! Shikamaru, I can't let that happen. And even if they don't mistake the two, Mikale could still use an illusion to trick the humans into seeing something that isn't there and fool them."

"Ninja."

"Huh?"

Shikamaru frowned. "You said 'humans', Naruto."

Already, Naruto was speaking as if he were different from the people he grew up with. Humans and foxes were separate. Now Naruto was starting to distinguish the two from himself. At this moment, he thought himself different from human beings, despite being one himself.

Shikamaru put a hand on his shoulder. "Listen. I know you want revenge. I get that. But Kakashi is fine. You already helped him. You stopped him before things could get any worse. And I know you want to protect this village, but you have to understand that you can cause more trouble doing what you're doing."

"So you want me to just sit around and wait to be attacked?"

"That's not what I'm..."

Naruto shoved him away. "You don't get it. You think I can help by being in here? Even when I was in here, granny and Hinata both got cursed. Hell, I can do a lot more out there than I can in here."

Shikamaru didn't say anything. Naruto thought it was because Shikamaru knew he was right. Actually, Shikamaru didn't see the point in arguing with someone who already had their mind made up.

Sakura, overhearing their conversation, stepped out and put a hand on Naruto's back. "You should listen to Shikamaru. What if something happened to you out there? Don't worry about Seki. He has two tails, too. He's a match for Mikale. And Kakashi-sensei's fine. We were ordered to stay in the village. That way we can keep track of who's coming and going. Everyone will be accounted for."

"So by keeping everyone in, you think no one will be possessed? That no one will get cursed?" Naruto didn't know what Sakura was trying to say. More importantly, he didn't want to.

"Actually, I had a problem with that," said Shikamaru. "He possessed Kakashi. He didn't curse him. He could have always cursed Kakashi and then taken his form. Like that other fox did on that mission you talked about. Only he didn't. I wonder why."

"Because he wanted it to be personal," said Sakura. "I think it's because Mikale wanted Kakashi to be the one to kill Naruto so it would be bad for both of them. Naruto would die by the hands of his sensei and Kakashi would have killed his own student. It's horrible all around."

"But why Kakashi? He never did anything to Mikale, did he? Going after Naruto I get, but why Kakashi?"

"Maybe because he needed a safe body to be in?" wondered Sakura. "If he just took on Kakashi-sensei's form, he would be discovered by a dog. But inside a human, he would be safe."

"That could be but I'm not convinced. Something else must be going on. I can't believe that choosing Kakashi was a coincidence. He chose him for a reason."

"Yeah, to hurt Naruto. Seki even said that this fox was very sneaky and underhanded. Wicked and cruel. He does this type of thing because it's fun. He doesn't need a reason."

"I'm not convinced."

Naruto couldn't stand it anymore. Hearing those two talk, knowing what he already knew. He had to do something. "I'm sorry, guys," he muttered. "I can't stay here anymore."

Shikamaru and Sakura turned. "Naru-"

"I know his scent now. I know his tricks. I know his name. And he can't curse me. I can go after him. I have to." He turned around just once to look at them. "Sorry."

"Wait, Naru-"

He sprang into the air, landed on a roof, sprinted to the edge and jumped. He landed on the wall of the main gate and scrambled over the top. The guards there yelled and tried to grab him but Naruto was too fast for them. With a mighty leap, Naruto sailed over the gate and into the woods on the other side. The guards called after him but did not pursue. They had their orders. They couldn't leave the village to go after him. They had to let him go. Only now, he could not return.

"That idiot," muttered Sakura. "What the hell was he thinking? He knows the orders. We've told him! Why does he have to be this way? Can't he just listen for once in his life? He always has to do it his way."

Shikamaru lowered his head in thought.

"I mean, does he even have a plan? He's just going off emotion. It's doomed to fail. Clouding his judgment like-"

"Uh-oh."

Sakura turned. "What?"

Shikamaru's eyes were wide.

"What?" she pressured.

"I think I just realized the fox's plan."

"You did?" Sakura wasn't surprised since Shikamaru was a genius. However, she was frightened to hear the answer.

"Based on the events... And given, we don't know much and this is just my guess here, but... I think all these events were planned. They weren't just random, no matter how they appear on the surface. The fire illusion was a distraction but from what we don't know. It could have been to learn the layout of the village. Or used as cover while they found people Naruto knew and was close to. Mikale doesn't know Naruto's friends. Just him and only by name. That night, he didn't know who Naruto was until they were introduced. So the cursed victims could have been a case of mistaken identity. That was one theory we had since the fox didn't know what Naruto looked like. But I wasn't convinced that was the intention. I understood why the Hokage would be taken, being the leader of the village and all. Take out the leader, weaken the village. It's a strategic move. Hinata was one we were unsure of."

"What are you thinking?"

"It's just a theory. But I'm starting to think the kitsune cursed her because she knew Naruto. She was thought to be close to him. Either that or just to prove that he could curse anyone he wanted. Get Naruto and the rest of the village scared. That's another way to go. As far as the fire illusion goes, I think it was just a cover. Mikale was looking for something else and no one would notice him in all the chaos. Plus it was another way to show off his power and get the village scared."

"And the fire could have been used to find Kakashi-sensei and possess him then," said Sakura.

"That's true. But the time-line's off if that were the case. Kakashi would have been trying to put out the fire, too. Unless he was really oblivious."

"So maybe Mikale was stalking his victims?"

Shikamaru frowned. "Could be. But here's what I'm thinking in the short end of it. I'm thinking that Mikale chose these attacks for a reason. The reason was to get Naruto worked up enough to go after him. Why else would he leave after starting something? Naruto may be unable to curse a second time, but he only has one tail so Mikale is stronger than him. He could win easily. And according to Seki, the kitsune wanted to take over the town by the mountain. When that didn't happen, the kitsune went looking for another place. This place. Because Naruto was here. An ally of the good kitsune. So Mikale came here for that reason. To attack Naruto and possibly take over this village instead."

"What sort of logic is that?" asked Sakura. "Sounds like something a spoiled two-year-old would come up with."

"The point is, Sakura... I think the idea was to get Naruto worked up enough so he would leave the village. In here, we have numbers. Out there Naruto is alone except for Seki."

Sakura gasped. "So you think the idea was to lure Naruto out of the village so Mikale could attack him?"

"No, it's the other way around," said Shikamaru. "It was to lure Naruto away from us so we would be vulnerable."

"Us?"

"Yes. Unlike Naruto, we can't see through a kitsune's illusion. Their power is different from ours. We're used to fighting other ninja. Kitsune are completely different. They're foreign to us. The night of the fake fire, it was Naruto who warned us that it was all an illusion. If he hadn't done that, I would have kept pouring water on the buildings, thinking it was real. I couldn't tell the difference." Shikamaru sighed heavily. "Don't you see, Sakura? Without Naruto, we're vulnerable. He could see through the deception. He was the one protecting us."

Sakura looked behind her at the locked gates of the Leaf Village. "So without Naruto here, we're sitting ducks."

Shikamaru nodded. "He was our eyes and ears. Without him, we won't be able to tell what's real and what's an illusion. If an attack came from the evil kitsune, we would never see it coming."

* * *

Thoughts?

Please review ^-^


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

It had been so long since Naruto ran through the forest as a fox that he had almost forgotten how free he felt as he weaved around trees and leaped over bushes. When he reunited with Seki that first night, he didn't run through the woods. Instead they sat in his room and talked. After that, Naruto was too busy training to have a race with his friend. When they reunited this time, Naruto made time to have a race with his kitsune friend. They raced together and for a few minutes, Naruto forgot about his rage. All his problems seemed so far away, running further and further away. His troubles couldn't catch him at this speed. He was too fast for them.

Naruto pounced on Seki and they tumbled down the grassy hill into a bed of flowers, laughing. It was wonderful to play.

After frolicking, it was down to business. Naruto told Seki everything that happened during his absence. Everything from the illusion fire Seki walked in on, to the gates being closed to everyone and Kakashi's possession.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to prevent that, Naruto. I've been searching for the enemy in the woods with no luck. I can't find any objects either so I still have no idea where your friends are. I don't even know where the kitsune hide when there are no attacks. I can't even find a foxhole."

"Oh, right. You guys dig your bed out of the earth, don't you?"

"Yes. Though on the mountain, we're safe enough to be exposed. We do either one."

Naruto sighed. "I can't believe Kakashi-sensei got possessed and came after me."

"You know it wasn't him, Naruto. It was Mikale."

"I know. But..." Naruto hung his head. "I have to protect my friends. Kakashi's strong and super cool and he still ended up... I can't let anything like that happen again."

Seki nuzzled Naruto's neck. "If you truly mean that, then you must remain with them."

Naruto looked at Seki. "What do you mean? When I was with them, all these things happened. I'll have better luck out here with you. I can hunt them down and stop the evil kitsune once and for all. I can't do it in the village with the gate shut."

"I meant that you should stay with them. Even if you're with me, your friends are alone. You are strong in a pack. Together."

Strength in numbers. Ryosuke taught him that. The kitsune taught him many things besides hunting and living as a fox. Things even he should have already known.

"I didn't abandon my friends. I just thought I could do more out here," Naruto said.

Seki nuzzled him again. "I know you did. But just remember, my little brother Reki thought the same thing. He wanted to find Reevo and stop the danger. He went off alone and one night never came back. He was alone when he was cursed."

"But I'm already cursed so I'm safe," said Naruto.

"True," said Seki. "But what of your friends?"

Naruto gasped. "I left them alone." He looked into the forest but the village was no longer in sight. "But I thought Mikale was after me. So why would he attack the village when it's me he wants? If I'm out here, the village is safe, right? He'll follow me. That's why he keeps going into the village. Because I'm there."

"I thought so, too, Naruto. But I actually think that he's after your village as well. The kitsune wanted humans to mess with for kicks. If not the humans at our town, then the ones at your village. They're not picky about that."

Naruto couldn't believe it. Had he just played into the enemy's hands? Was everything a trick?

"We still don't know their plan, Seki. He keeps coming in and then leaving. Is he really after me and the village? Does Mikale even have a plan? Everything's weird."

"I know that's what he wants. What I don't know is his method of getting what he wants."

Naruto knew the kitsune's objective. The method was still unclear. Since he knew their goal, Naruto wasn't too concerned about the method. Not as long as he knew the goal. Whatever happened, it was to reach that one goal of taking over the village and getting rid of Naruto. Whatever they did, it had something to do with that.

That was all he needed to know.

"Seki... are you ok out here by yourself? I'm worried you might get cursed."

"I'm fine. I've been trying to track them, not stop them. I know if I get too close I won't stand a chance alone. I'm just trying to figure out their movements. Maybe find out where they've taken your friends."

Naruto nodded. "Then I guess that leaves the village to me."

Seki nodded back. "I'm willing to help you, Naruto. But it is your village and your friends. You must protect them."

"But they're your friends now, too, Seki. They like you."

Seki chuckled. "And I'm happy to know them. But I am helping you help them because you and I are friends."

"Then any friends of mine should be friends of yours. Right, Seki?"

He sighed. "I'm just not there yet for some. But I do like your friends. And I do consider some to be my friends. But the main reason I came here was to protect my friend and the things he treasures. I'm here for you. And that also means being their for your people. But I cannot fight your battles for you. Your village, your fight."

It was his home. Not Seki's. Under any other circumstances, Seki had no reason to be this far from his home.

"But I will help you in anyway that I can."

That was what allies did. They didn't fight each other's battles but they were there to help fight and assist in anyway possible. Naruto understood that. In that, humans and kitsune were similar.

"I get it, Seki. I know. And thank you."

Seki looked at the sky. "I did sense Mikale coming from the northwest. That was early this morning. He was on the move. Away from your village. I don't know what's he's doing, however." Seki looked back at him. "You must return to your village, Naruto. I will handle things out here. You handle things in there."

Naruto smiled. "That's what my friends told me." Naruto bowed his head to Seki. "Thanks for everything, Seki. We'll be in touch."

"We will. Take care, Naruto."

This wasn't good-bye. Just a short parting in the midst of battle.

The two nuzzled each other for a moment then Naruto turned and ran back to the village as fast as he could.

* * *

When Naruto arrived, he was surprised to see the main gate of the village open. Thinking something was wrong, Naruto hurried inside, changing back into his human form. "What's going on?" he called to anyone who would listen. "Why is the gate open like this? Is something happening?"

"You idiot!" Sakura flew out of nowhere and clobbered him upside the head. "What the hell were you thinking, running off like that?! You know we could have been attacked at any moment, right?!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Naruto ducked in cover just in case Sakura wasn't finished beating him. "But I ran into Seki and we talked for a bit. After we played a while."

"You ran out of the village during an emergency lock-down to play?!"

Naruto curled into a ball. "It's kind of our thing! But we were serious for a while. He talked to me about stuff and told me to come back tot he village to help protect it. I can't really do it out there. But he did tell me that Mikale was on the move in the northwest. He said Mikale was moving away from the village."

"Good," said Sakura. She didn't seem angry anymore.

"But he'll be back," Naruto told her.

"I'm sure he will." Sakura's eyes sparkled with determination. "But this time we're going on the offensive."

"We are?"

Sakura pointed over his shoulder. When Naruto turned, he saw Shikamaru and two other people heading their way.

"Good, he's back. Saves us time looking for you," said Shikamaru. "Shizune gave us permission to leave the village to go look for the fox. Most of the ninja are staying here to guard the place along with most of the dogs. Kiba and Akamaru are coming with us."

"Us?" Naruto questioned.

"Yup. You, me, Sakura... Neji and Shino."

Naruto looked at the two ninja who followed Shikamaru. "Them? But... wait, that's way more people than just four. Isn't the group a little large?"

"Not for this type of mission. The more complicated the mission, the more ninja may need to be assigned," said Shino. "Shizune chose this team specifically."

"She did, huh?" Naruto didn't sound thrilled.

"Shizune wanted Shino to come along for his bug skills," said Shikamaru. "She figured he could use them to track the kitsune. She chose Neji because she thought he would be able to use his Byakugan to track down the kitsune. Maybe even see through his illusions. I was appointed team leader for this mission. She said my stratigic skills would come in handy. Sakura is going because she's a medical ninja but she's also a part of your team. Not to mention how she's lived through a kitsune attack before so she has some knowledge, however small. Anything will help at this point. Kiba for his tracking skills and the fact that he has a dog which would be a big help. And of course you for obvious reasons."

"So the plan is to go out there and get Mikale? Us as a group?" asked Naruto.

"We're the only team leaving the village," said Shikamaru. "It's a huge risk, but Shizune said we can't just sit around here anymore and wait to be attacked. We have to make a move of our own."

"So let's do it!" Kiba cheered. "With us on the team, there's no way we could lose. Right, Akamaru?"

"Right!" Akamaru barked. Naruto understood him with his fox ears which had popped out again.

"Atta boy! You know!"

"Don't get cocky, Kiba," said Shino. "Remember our enemy is unlike anything we've ever fought before. This is the first time we've ever had to fight a creature with similar skills to a ninja without actually being a ninja. Kitsune powers are different. If we go into battle thinking we are the same, then we're doomed to fail. We must be prepared for any-"

"Yeah, yeah!"

"You need to listen to Shino on this one, Kiba," said Shikamaru. "He's right."

"Yeah, but the enemy's shown his hand. We know the skills he's capable of and we've seen it first hand. We know what to expect. And after hearing what the Seki fox had to say, we now know the skills we need to watch out for. And with Naruto around we'll be covered. We'll have someone who knows his stuff and is a kitsune to boot. We got this."

"Don't get overconfident, Kiba," said Shino. "You'll hinder the mission before it begins."

Though Naruto was happy to be seeing some real action, he was left confused by this sudden decision. A few minutes ago, Seki was telling him how leaving the village would make it vulnerable. That was why he came back. "But guys, without me here, no one will be able to tell the difference between reality and an illusion. Is it safe to leave like this?"

"We can't go on the mission without you," said Kiba.

"And we already went over it with Shizune and the higher-ups," said Sakura. "We were given permission to do this. They gave us their blessing. They agreed that it's better than standing around waiting to be attacked. Something has to be done."

Naruto was happy with this answer. Finally something would get done. Once the kitsune was defeated, everyone's curse would be lifted and everything would get back to normal.

* * *

Searching for the kitsune was slow going at first. Naruto was very bored searching like this in the forest. There was very little action. He entertained himself by talking to Akamaru. He found that he was very similar to his ninja. On occasion, Naruto found that Akamaru showed a little more intellect than his owner. Not often, though. They could definitely be related. Maybe it was all the time they spent together.

While Naruto spoke with Akamaru, Shino sent out his insects to look for any signs of the fox. Neji used his Byakugan on an occasion to do the same. He didn't want to overuse it.

"So the plan is to find the kitsune and stop him, right?" asked Naruto. "Because Kakashi-sensei said that capturing him alive would allow us to find out where everyone is and what his plans are."

"Didn't you say that by killing a kitsune, all his curses would be lifted?" asked Shino.

"Yeah..."

"So if we do that, then there's no issue," said Neji. "The threat is done away with and the cursed will return to normal. Seems like a win-win to me."

Naruto chuckled softly to himself. "I suppose Kakashi-sensei can't be right about everything. I guess killing Mikale is the right way to go."

"What is your fox friend doing anyway?" asked Kiba.

"Seki said he would be around. He's doing a lot of traveling to find out where the enemy is and what they're doing. He's also looking for the people that were cursed."

"Good."

Shino stopped walking, holding out his hand for a bug. It landed on his fingertip and Shino brought it close to his face. "My insects picked up something from not too far away."

"Where?"

Shino pointed. "This direction. It's an animal."

Getting ready for a possible fight, Naruto took on his kitsune form. He was smaller as a fox but he felt comfortable fighting another kitsune like this. He was at an advantage like this in more ways than one.

The group moved quietly through the trees, watching for the slightest movement. Naruto couldn't catch a scent so the kitsune must have been either further away or downwind from where they were.

"I see it!" Kiba whispered. "This is going to be easy."

The group saw what he was looking at. It was a lone two-tailed fox digging a hole around the roots of a tree.

Kiba got into a fighting stance. His nails extended, getting ready to claw his way into battle.

Akamaru whimpered, which went unnoticed by the rest of the group. "That doesn't smell right," said Akamaru. "I can see it but I don't smell it."

Naruto climbed around his friends to get a better look. Through their legs, he saw the image of a two-tailed fox digging a hole. To his eyes, however, it was transparent.

"Take this, you fox freak!" Kiba charged forward.

"Wait!" Naruto warned. "It's not the fox! It's an illusion!"

The group stopped except for Kiba. They tried to warn him, too, but he was too eager to attack to hear them.

Kiba slashed at the illusion, his claws passing right through its body. "What?!"

"It's an illusion!" the group called. "Naruto said it's an illusion!"

"An illusion?" Kiba looked at the image which slowly disappeared from sight. "Damn it. He tricked me."

"But if that was an illusion, then that must mean that the real fox isn't too far away," said Sakura. "Right, Naruto?"

He nodded. "He must be close in order to cast it. But I'm still not getting a scent. Neither is Akamaru."

"I can't either," admitted Kiba. "But you said these things were different so even with my sensitive nose I didn't think I would be able to track him down in the usual way."

"Kiba!" Shikamaru warned.

A fox jumped from the top of the tree and bit Kiba on the shoulder. Kiba screamed and tried to throw the fox off. He ran into a tree, trying to knock the it off his back. "Get it off! Get it off!"

"Kiba, I'm coming!" Akamaru rushed forward to help, ignoring the fact that he still couldn't catch a scent. Helping Kiba was his only concern at the moment. "Get off him! Get off him!" Akamaru barked, jumping around Kiba's legs. He couldn't get any closer.

The others rushed in to help.

Naruto's eyes saw the truth. "Guys, stop! It's another illusion! It's not real."

"Ow!" Kiba wailed. "It feels real to me! Ow!"

The fox bit Kiba's neck. Blood started to flow. The group was in shock. "It's got to be real! Look, he's bleeding!"

"He's in pain, too."

Naruto looked at the transparent fox atop Kiba's shoulder. The gushing blood to his eyes looked no different from the dry strokes of a paintbrush. It was all fake. "Guys, I'm telling you it's not real!"

"Ow, ow, ow!" Kiba cried. "How do we know Naruto isn't some illusion telling us to ignore this?! Ow! Someone get it off!"

They all ignored Naruto in favor of helping Kiba.

This was one convincing illusion. Thinking back, Naruto remembered Ryosuke and the other kitsune telling him during his training that their illusions could fool all five senses. That included the sense of touch. This meant a person could be fooled into thinking they were in pain when nothing was really happening to them. It made it truly impossible to tell the difference between reality and an illusion.

Worst of all, there was no way to convince them otherwise.

Naruto had to think of something fast or his friends would be here forever fighting an illusion.

He could cast an illusion of his own and hope they canceled each other out. Or an illusion that would distract his friends from the current one. No, neither of those would work. He would have to find Mikale and break his concentration in order to stop his spell. He looked around in the trees and around the ground but he couldn't find him anywhere. He must have been hiding further away.

"What can I do to make them see the truth?"

See... Hiding...

"That's it!" Naruto shouted over his panicking friends. "Neji! Use your Byakugan! Quick!"

"That's just an illusion of Naruto!" yelled Kiba. "Get the real thing off before I die from blood loss!"

"Neji please!"

Seeing no harm in it even if it was only an illusion, Neji obeyed. Activating his Byakugan, he saw everyone's charka. His friends, Akamaru's, the fox behind him which he knew was Naruto, and... that was it. As soon as he activated it, the illusion on Kiba's shoulder was gone from his sight. It had no chakra to see.

"He's right!" Neji stopped struggling. "Kiba, there is no fox on your shoulder. Naruto's telling the truth. It is an illusion."

"But I can feel it!"

"Ignore it, Kiba! It isn't real. I can see that it's fake. It has no charka."

Hearing this, the others stopped struggling with the illusion and ignored it. Alone in this, Kiba fought hard to ignore the pain and convince himself that it was all a lie.

The illusion vanished. The blood on Kiba was gone and the pain stopped. Kiba put a hand to his neck, checking for blood. There was no wound and no blood. "You were right. There's nothing there."

The group exhaled deeply in relief.

"That's scary," said Sakura. "How completely convincing those illusions are. Even feeling pain."

"We have to be extra careful now," added Shino.

"We should listen to Naruto when he says something is fake, no matter how real it seems," said Kiba.

"We can't stop," said Neji. "In order to cast it, the kitsune mustn't be too far from here. Let's look."

"Right."

The group searched. Neji kept his Byakugan activated, hoping it would give him an advantage. He may not have been able to see through the deceptions as Naruto could, but this came very close. His Byakugan was almost just as good. It only worked on sight, however. His other four senses could still be compromised. He had to be careful.

"I smell it!" barked Akamaru.

Naruto inhaled deeply. "Me, too! Guys, I can smell Mikale!"

"I see it!" Shikamaru attacked an illusion. "Naruto, is this him?"

"Fake!"

"Damn it."

"Here?" Sakura pointed into a tree.

"Fake."

"Seriously?"

Neji's eyes turned to Naruto. He was frowning as if concentrating extremely hard.

"What?" asked Naruto.

Neji didn't hear Naruto's voice. He was hearing another voice. One he didn't know. His eyes saw a kitsune so he knew it was real. He knew Naruto only had one tail in his fox form and the enemy possessed two. Neji couldn't tell if this one had one or two, even with his Byakugan. It didn't have Naruto's voice but he also knew that the enemy could manipulate his senses so he couldn't tell what was real.

By this time, the others had noticed Neji looking at the fox on the ground. To their eyes, it had two tails.

"There it is!" Kiba raced forward.

"What? Where?" Naruto looked behind himself but there was nothing there. When he looked back and saw his friends trying to attack him he knew they thought he was the enemy. "No, wait! It's me, Naruto!"

Their ears were fooled. They heard the enemy's voice taunting them. They couldn't hear Naruto's pleas.

"It's me, guys! Stop!" Naruto backed away and they advanced. "Crap, it's another illusion. They think I'm..."

Even Akamaru was tricked. His nose told him that this was Naruto, even if his scent was a bit muddled, but his other senses told him it was another kitsune.

"Neji, you can tell it's me, right? I have one tail, see?" Neji was still trying to figure that out so Naruto tried to make it easier for him. "It's me, see?" Naruto morphed back into his human self. "See? See?"

Neji saw Naruto's form change but his other senses were still confused. "I can't tell if it's Naruto or not."

"What are your eyes telling you, Neji?"

"Uh... that it's human. But the fox could have changed his form, too. My Byakugan can only see through illusions not transformations."

"Did the fox have two tails or one?"

"I couldn't tell. They were so close together, I couldn't tell if it was one or two."

"For the love of..." Naruto slipped back into his fox form. He wagged his single tail, hoping Neji would get the message.

"It has one tail. It's Naruto."

"You sure?"

"I think so."

Naruto turned away, knowing he was close by. Mikale must have cast an illusion around Naruto so his friends would think he was Mikale. To make matters worse, the illusions also muddled up their hearing so they couldn't hear Naruto's voice but instead Mikale's voice. Worse than that, it seemed that he was also forcing them to hear something other than what Naruto was saying. Mikale was effecting their eyes and ears. He had to find Mikale and stop him. His scent was close by. He just had to spot him.

Up in the tree, there he was. "You!" Naruto sprang straight up and chomped down on Mikale's tail. He lost his concentration and was pulled out of the tree by Naruto's teeth. The two landed at the base of the tree and started brawling.

The group could now see what was really happening and stared at the two kitsune. "It was another illusion. I'm getting real sick of this."

"What the hell are you trying to pull?!" Naruto snapped at Mikale. "Tricking my friends into attacking me like that!"

"Did you see the looks on their faces? Priceless!"

"I'll kill you!" Naruto bit Mikale's shoulder. Mikale bit him back. The two rolled over each other and into the trunk of the tree.

All his friends could do was watch, afraid to get in the middle of it. Nothing but fur and blood and teeth. Stepping in could get themselves injured. Worse, they could end up attacking the wrong kitsune since they were both wrapped around each other in a ferocious attack.

Finally the two kitsune broke apart. Mikale was smirking. Naruto couldn't understand why until he saw the looks on his friends' faces. They were looking at two Mikale. The kitsune had cast another illusion on Naruto. Now no one knew who to attack.

"That one," Neji said pointing. "He only had one tail. This one has two."

Mikale's ears flattened. "How did he..?"

"I got him." Shikamaru was using a jutsu. "Shadow Possession Jutsu!"

His shadow stretched, touched Mikale's and warbled. Shikamaru's shadow couldn't properly attach making it useless.

"I told you guys that jutsu wouldn't work on a kitsune."

"I figured if Neji could..." Shikamaru bit his lip. Kitsune were more complicated than he thought. Certain ninja skills worked and others did not. He had to figure out which ones.

Mikale turned back to face Naruto. "Your friends are useless here. If I cast another illusion, they'll all be fighting each other, convinced they're the enemy. Care to see?"

Neji took out a kunai. "I know where to aim."

"Be careful," Sakura pleaded. She didn't want him to mistake Naruto for the enemy fox.

"I got him." Neji threw the kunai. It scraped the top of Mikale's head and sank into the tree root.

Mikale flinched. Like most kitsune, he was fearful of weapons. Even if they couldn't use their jutsu, they always had their weapons. He pinned his ears back and hissed. "You'll pay, lowly human!"

Before he could attack, Naruto charged in and bit his ear. Mikale shrieked and started scratching Naruto's face. They were brawling again. Mikale knocked Naruto into the tree to get him off. He pinned Naruto down and started biting at his throat.

A hand reached out and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. Sakura had a firm hold on Mikale. "You can't escape or cast illusions if I have a hold of you."

"Keep him there, Sakura." Neji took out another blade. "This is perfect. Not taking any chances."

Mikale tried casting an illusion with his fox fire but Neji saw through it all with his eyes. Mikale squirmed and kicked as Neji got closer with his kunai. "Get! Get!" Mikale screamed. Neji was going to gut him. Mikale looked down at Sakura's legs, unable to turn his head from this position. He was judging distance. "You don't have me beat yet!"

Swinging his legs back as far as he could, Mikale tried to enter Sakura's body. Sakura wasn't holding him at arm's length so he was close to her chest. He started to slip inside.

"No! Get away!" Sakura threw Mikale away from her on reflex. She threw him right into Neji.

Mikale entered.

"Uh-oh."

Neji's body started to convulse. He grunted and squirmed. His arm started to rise. He pointed the kunai at his own neck.

"Oh, no! Neji!"

"Neji, stop!"

Neji's hand was shaking. He was fighting back. The tip of the kunai pressed into his flesh. He drew a tiny droplet of blood.

"Fight it, Neji!"

"I'm.. trying..!" His arms started to move backwards. Then forward again. Then back. His hand shook. "Stop! Stop it!" Neji threw away the kunai. His hand turned on him a second time and he tried to strangle himself. "Enough! Stop! Stop!"

Through sheer will, Neji forced Mikale out of his body. Mikale hit the ground and scampered off.

It was amazing to watch. Neji remained conscious the entire time. Only his body was moving but he was awake and aware of everything he was doing. Neji had some strong will power. If he hadn't been awake during his possession, that would have been a different story. Much like Kakashi.

"It ran off again," called Sakura. She was trying to track Mikale's movements.

"Don't worry," said Shino. "I planted a bug on him when he ran off. I can track him down with my insects."

"I've got his scent," said Akamaru.

"And Akamaru has his scent," said Kiba. "Good job, boy. Let's get him!"

"After what we've just experienced, I think we need to rethink our plan," said Shikamaru. "Those illusions are nasty and we also have to worry about getting possessed."

"Hey, that fox may have made us look like a bunch of rookies but that won't happen this time around," said Kiba. "We got this. We've seen his tricks."

"That's what you said before and look what happened."

"Before he gets too far away, I'm going after him!" Naruto ran into the woods to find Mikale.

He couldn't let Mikale get away. Too much was at stake. He had to defeat him to protect everyone. Seeing what Mikale was about to make Neji do was terrifying. Ryosuke and the other kitsune would never do such a thing. It made Naruto realize just how different they were.

"He won't get away!"

Seeing Mikale in the distance, Naruto sped up. He could hear his friends following close behind. They were coming to help.

"Fox fire!" Mikale bellowed. An army of clones appeared to throw them off his trail.

"The one on the left is real!" Naruto called at the same time Neji did. "Ignore the rest!"

The group remained close together. Separating would be a poor decision. They followed after the real Mikale. The kitsune cast more illusions to throw them off but with both Neji and Naruto it wasn't going to be so easy.

Mikale went right abruptly.

"Enemy fox at one o'clock!" hollered Neji. "He went right!"

He wasn't getting away.

They were closing in. Mikale turned back to see them right on top of him. There was no escape.

"You think you've won?" Mikale taunted. "Don't make me laugh! Transform!"

Everyone stopped. Mikale had taken on a new form. Another gift that came with having two tails. Mikale stood as a human. He was Naruto.

Naruto stopped and stared. Mikale had seen him in his human form when he was possessing Kakashi. Now he had stolen his form to fight his friends.

"Fat chance!" Kiba wasn't falling for it. "Come on, Akamaru! Fang Over Fang!"

The attack crashed into Mikale and he took some damage.

Shikamaru smirked. "I knew it. Some jutsu can effect kitsune. Maybe not Genjutsu or certain Ninjutsu. But this one can because it's physical. Kiba's claws are doing the damage. My shadow doesn't work but Kiba's claws do."

That was great news. So kitsune weren't immune to all jutsu after all.

"I'll get you for this!" Mikale pounced on Kiba and started to claw his face up with his human nails. Straddling Kiba's body, Mikale changed his hands back into paws and continued the attack. Akamaru came to his rescue and chased off the imposter. Mikale took on Kiba's form next and attacked Akamaru. The dog was a little taken aback to fight his own master but he knew it wasn't really Kiba and fought back. The real Kiba got up and they started to attack each other. One of the Kibas broke away and took off running.

"Get back here you coward!" Kiba chased after him. Akamaru joined in the chase.

"Kiba, wait!" the others warned.

It was too late. Kiba was gone.

"We have to go after him."

A second later, Kiba was calling for help. "Help me! Help!"

The group followed his cries into the woods and over to the river. Kiba was clutching the bank with both arms. He was badly scratched but otherwise fine. Shino helped him out of the water. "What happened? Where's Akamaru?"

"I don't know!" Kiba wailed. "One second I'm fighting him and the next I don't know. Akamaru was right on top of him and then suddenly he was gone! And I can't find that damn fox anywhere. Not even a scent."

Neji scanned the area. He gave his head a shake. "I can't find either of them."

"They're... gone?" Sakura looked frightened. "You don't think..?"

"Was he cursed?" Kiba looked on the verge of tears. "But... he can't be. He was just..." Kiba looked into the water. "What if he's a rock or something? What if he's drowning?! Come on, isn't there anything we can do?! Someone help me!"

No one spoke.

Kiba whimpered. "No... But..." Kiba fell to his knees and beat the ground with his fists. "Damn it! Damn it! That fox is going to pay for this!"

"There's no sign of Mikale or Akamaru anywhere?" Sakura asked, hoping Neji's answer would change.

Neji shook his head. "No sign of either of them. The kitsune is long gone."

Shikamaru looked at the sky. "We have plenty of light left before we need to worry about making camp or something."

"Then we can look for Akamaru," Kiba got to his feet. "We can, can't we? Please! We have to look! I'm not going anywhere until we find him."

"We have no idea where he is or what happened to him, Kiba."

"That damn fox is going to pay for this! Pay!"

Naruto could understand Kiba's rage. Kiba and Akamaru were inseparable. It was no surprise that he would be reluctant to leave his companion. "We'll find him," Naruto assured.

"How can you be so sure?" Kiba asked.

"I just know, ok?"

Kiba had nothing left to say so he walked away from the river in silence.

The group watched him and turned to each other, not saying a word.

* * *

Thoughts?

Please review ^-^


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

"We lost Akamaru."

There had been almost five full minutes of silence when Naruto opened his mouth. He was still in a state of shock over the whole ordeal. He couldn't believe Akamaru had been cursed. Even worse, Mikale was long gone. Kiba was too distraught to try catching Mikale's scent. Not that it mattered. If Mikale could fool their noses with his deceptions, it didn't matter. There was no way to tell the difference. Only Neji's Byakugan could help see through certain illusions.

"If someone gets cursed, can you see where they are?" Sakura asked Neji. "Do they still have chakra to see?"

"No. Well, I'm not sure."

"How can you not be sure?"

"Remember, I was on that mission at the palace with the first kitsune that cursed people. I couldn't tell then so I doubt I could now. I couldn't find a trace of Akamaru anywhere. He's just gone."

Everyone glanced worriedly over at Kiba who had his back turned to them. Obviously he was still upset over what had happened.

"I couldn't find any trace of that kitsune, either."

"At least your eyes can see through the kitsune's tricks," said Shino.

"No, not really," Neji admitted. "Only through the illusions that aren't really there. If the kitsune is transformed into something, I can't tell the difference between him and the real thing. Like when he was transformed as Naruto. They looked more or less the same."

Naruto cocked his head. "What do you mean more or less?"

"A kitsune seems to have a different kind of energy. It's chakra, I think. But different. I've never seen anything like it before."

Naruto had no idea what Neji saw when he used his Byakugan so he had to use his imagination and try to figure out what Neji was trying to depict.

"Your chakra is different from other people, depending. When I fought you in the Chunin exams, it changed slightly. It was red. But now, your chakra has changed again. Not so much changed as much as altered. When I look at you, human form or fox form, you look different. I think it's because of your curse."

"So you can't tell the difference between Naruto and the other kitsune?" Sakura asked.

"There are slight differences, but... It's difficult to say. It's hard to describe." Neji folded his arms. "I've never faced anything like this before. I can't see through all of the kitsune's deceptions. I should be thankful I can see through some. But clearly I can't see the item in which a person was transformed into. For all we know Akamaru could be a rock. No one would ever know."

"Why did you run off like that?" Shino asked Kiba.

Kiba spun around. "What? How did this get turned around on me? Like this isn't bad enough for me?!"

"If you hadn't separated from us, we would have been there to help you two. Instead this happened and now we don't know where anyone is."

"You should have kept up with our speed!" Kiba snapped. "And I was taking initiative! What were you doing? Waiting around until after the fox did something? I was trying to stop him!"

"We have to stay together, Kiba," Shino said firmly. "If we get seperated, we're done for. That kitsune could cast an illusion around all of us and, alone, we wouldn't be able to tell what's real and what isn't. You saw what happened back there. Together we have a better chance. With Neji's eyes, Akamaru's canine ability, and Naruto in his current condition. Divided and on our own, we're doomed to fail. We have to stay in a group. Look what happened when you ran off."

"I told you I was trying to stop the stupid thing!" Kiba shoved Shino. "Just back off and leave me alone."

"I'm only telling you this so you can do better in the future. We'll get Akamaru back."

"Yeah, sure. Say it like you mean it."

"Come on you two," Sakura told them. "Knock it off. This is no time to fight."

Shikamaru looked at the sky. "We have several hours of light left. We'll use that to hunt down the kitsune. Naruto keep an eye out. Let us know if you sense anything. Everyone stay close. No one runs off."

"That's another stab at me and I know it," Kiba muttered bitterly.

"Just hang in there."

Shikamaru took the lead. The group remained close together. While this protected them from the kitsune's tricks, it made hunting the fox down more difficult. They were packed tightly together, making their search of the land very limited. They couldn't cover much ground like this. Neji couldn't pick up any sign of the kitsune but it didn't really matter.

Shino moved closer to Kiba to speak to him. Being so close together allowed everyone to hear what was being said. "Kiba, though what I said was accurate, it was out of line. I'm sorry. I know it's not the right time given what just happened. I just want you to be more careful."

"Yeah, yeah."

"It's not just about you. Your actions could doom us all. Remember that. What you do effects the rest of us."

"I know, I know."

Shino said nothing further and moved away from Kiba.

Naruto sniffed the air, trying to pick up the kitsune's scent. He could smell him, but not in the field. Mikale's scent was coming from most of the members of his team. Sakura had picked up Mikale so his scent was on her. His scent was also on Neji and Kiba. Even Naruto wore Mikale's scent on his fur. Picking up his scent from all these contributors made it harder to track Miakle down. If he had been a true kitsune and not someone in need of being taught what came naturally it may have been a different story. Naruto's kitsune skills were good but not perfected. He wished he was better than he was. His friends needed his skills.

Naruto looked at the members of his group, lagging behind. They were facing forward, but every now and then their heads would turn to look in a different direction. Shino had moved in front of Kiba. His hood was up as usual so Naruto couldn't tell where he was looking. Kiba stepped behind him, drawing a kunai from the inside of his sleeve. He pointed it at the back of Shino's neck and drew closer to him, kunai firmly in hand.

"Shino!" Naruto jumped up and bit Kiba's wrist.

"Ahh!" Kiba dropped the kunai and started to beat Naruto over the head with his other hand. "Get off me, you crazy piece of-"

Everyone stopped, turning to watch them. Shino saw the kunai fall to the ground. He reached inside his bag, feeling around. "That's one of mine," he said. "Kiba must have grabbed it when he shoved me."

"Why would he do that if he has his own?" asked Sakura.

"Get off, Naruto!" Kiba threw him to the ground. "What is wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me?! I'm not the one trying to knife someone when their back is turned!"

"What?!"

Kiba looked at the group. "I wasn't..."

"The kunai was in your hand, Kiba," said Shino. "I saw it drop. Naruto just saved my life."

Sakura gasped. "You don't think Kiba's possessed, do you? We never did find that fox and there's no way he could have run away that fast."

"He could have cursed Akamaru and then jumped into Kiba's body," said Shikamaru. "If that's the case, I wonder why Kiba isn't resisting. Neji, what do you see?"

Neji eyed Kiba up and down. "I can't see anything amiss."

"Well, it's not an illusion. That's for sure. Kiba could be possessed but if that's the case then he should be putting up a fight. And..." Shikamaru looked at the kunai on the ground. "Kiba has his own tools to use. He wouldn't have to steal one from someone else. And if Neji's eyes can't tell the difference anyway... this could be a transformation."

"What?" Kiba scoffed. "But I'm me! I'm not that damn fox thing. I'm the real deal."

"Prove it."

"Prove it?!" Kiba scoffed exasperatedly. "You have got to be kidding me! What more proof do you need?! I know your names. The fox wouldn't."

"Unless he's been listening to us the whole time," said Shikamaru.

"The fox wouldn't give a damn about Akamaru. I do!" said Kiba. "Can't you see how upset I am over losing my pet? What more do you want? I want that fox to pay."

Shino moved in front of Kiba. "What did you just say? What did you call Akamaru?"

"My dog, you mean?"

"Did you call him your pet?" Shino asked.

"Well, yeah. I did. He's my dog. What else would I call him?"

Shino backed off. "Oh. Sorry. I thought you said something different."

"No. Akamaru's my pet. That's what I said and I mean it."

"Good. Good." Shino started to turn away. Then suddenly he turned back and grabbed Kiba's hair. "I knew it!"

"Ow! What?! What'd I do?!"

"You called Akamaru your pet," said Shino. "Kiba would never call Akamaru that. He isn't a pet."

Kiba chuckled. "I thought humans weren't this clever, but I have to admit I was wrong," came Mikale's voice.

"It's him! It's the kitsune!"

Kiba stepped closer to Shino and wrapped his arms around him neck. "I'm not going down without a fight! I'll snap your neck!"

Buzzing came from the inside of Shino's clothes and a swarm of insects engulfed his body. Kiba released his grasp and pulled away. Shino still had a firm grip on his hair. Kiba gasped, trying to move away from the bugs coming to defend their hive.

Kiba's face changed into that of a fox and he hissed. A tail popped out and flame started to shoot from its tip, spreading up and around his body.

"Let him go, Shino!" yelled Naruto. "Get away from him!"

Heeding Naruto's warning, Shino let go and jumped back. Getting too close to a kitsune was dangerous. Touching him could result in possession or a curse. Kiba melted away, returning to his true form, Mikale. The kitsune backed away from the bugs and lunged for Naruto. Shikamaru picked up the fallen kunai with his shadow and threw it at Mikale, keeping his distance as he attacked. Mikale dodged and ran into the woods.

"We have to go after him!" said Neji.

Shino's bugs were already on the move. "They're picking up the bug I planted on Mikale. We've got him." Shino looked sadly at the kunai now stuck in the root of a tree. "But Kiba..."

Everyone looked at each other realizing what this meant. Kiba was never with them at the riverbank. It was Mikale the whole time. He was infiltrating the group to learn more. Even more disturbing was the fact that this meant that Kiba wasn't with them. If Neji couldn't pick up any trace of Akamaru, it was assumed that he had been cursed. If Kiba was no longer with them then that meant he, too, must have been cursed.

"Mikale cursed both of them,"growled Naruto.

Kiba and Akamaru were gone.

Mikale was very crafty. It wasn't just random nonsense. It was all a part of his plan. He was trying to get them apart. He was trying to learn more about them. He was seeing their weaknesses.

"He's pissing me off!" Naruto snarled. The only thing on his mind was hunting down and killing Mikale. He was going to pay for what he had done.

"Take it easy, Naruto," said Shikamaru. "We'll get him. And when we do, Kiba and Akamaru will be fine. We'll reverse whatever he's done to them."

"Not fast enough!" Naruto snapped. "I'm going after him!"

"Not alone, you're not."

"Then what should we do?!"

Shikamaru bent down. "I have a plan. We're not splitting up, but we will have to break apart for a short time in order for this to work. Staying together like this is tough on a mission when we normally need to spread out. But I think I can make this work."

* * *

Mikale looked over his shoulder at Naruto. Naruto had been chasing him for some time, making it difficult for him to cast any illusions to confuse his friends. Mikale didn't think it mattered. He believed that Naruto's friends were too nervous to fight him now that they had a taste of what he could do.

"You can't beat me, Naruto!" Mikale yelled. "It's pointless."

"I'll show you pointless!" Taking a flying leap, Naruto slammed into Mikale and pinned him to the ground. They started snapping and clawing at each other. Mikale threw Naruto off just as a girl with pink hair came into view.

"Cha!" Sakura punched the earth where Mikale lay, causing the ground to splinter and crack. Mikale scampered out of there and straight into Naruto again. Naruto bit his ear, drawing blood. Mikale shoved him away, dodging another one of Sakura's punches.

He took off into the woods, weaving between trees and over bushes.

"Not so fast!" Neji appeared and threw a kunai at his head. The tip of the kunai scratched Mikale's shoulder but he kept going.

"Fox fire!" Mikale cast several illusions of himself to confuse but for some reason Neji knew exactly where he was. Neji had his eyes on the real Mikale. He threw another kunai, nicking his tail. "Ouch! Fox fire!" The next illusion didn't confuse Neji either. He kept coming for him.

"I'll take it from here!"

Mikale turned his head to see Neji fall back behind a tree. When he looked back an army of Naruto clones had appeared to pummel him. Mikale dodged as many as he could but there were too many. He was punched and kicked so many times he could no longer tell up from down. Naruto, Naruto everywhere! He forced his way through and into another clone. This one tried to hold him still, no matter how much Mikale squirmed.

Naruto's clone was weakening. The real Naruto was getting emotional again. He wanted Mikale to pay for what he had done to his friends. His anger was causing his fox features to come out. As soon as they did, all his clones, including the one holding Mikale, vanished.

"That's ok, Naruto. I've got him." Shikamaru used his shadows to whip the ground around Mikale's feet. If his shadows couldn't harm kitsune directly, then using them to cause the surrounding area harm to inflict damage was the best way to go. Rocks were tossed into the air and dirt flew in every direction, obscuring Mikale's view.

Knowing he had to escape, Mikale jumped into a tree and used the branches to run over the damaged earth to safety.

"As usual, you've forgotten about me." Shino appeared on one of the branches and knocked Mikale to the ground. Mikale transformed himself into Naruto, hoping to fool Shino but he wasn't falling for it. He attacked again. Mikale then cast an illusion of himself to confuse Shino. Shino's insects went straight for the real one and attacked. "That illusion won't work. I planted a bug on you and my bugs will follow it anywhere. It's a female. Sometimes the simplest tricks are the most effective."

Mikale tried to flee from the bugs but they swarmed around him making it difficult to see. They buzzed in his ears and his nose. He hated the feeling. These bugs had to be dealt with. "Fox fire!" Flames shot from his tails and the bugs retreated, only to return for another attack.

"There's no escaping from my bugs. Might as well just give up."

Mikale fled behind a tree but the bugs followed him. When he came around the other side, Neji was there with a kunai. He stabbed Mikale in the shoulder. The kitsune howled in pain. Neji pulled the kunai free and Mikale limped away. Right into Shikamaru. He had his own kunai and used it to block Mikale's path. Mikale scurried up the truck of a tree but his injury made it painful to climb. His wound throbbed and gushed blood. He slid down the tree and onto the ground.

"No way you're getting away!" Naruto pounced and bit Mikale's arm. He dragged him onto the ground and pinned him down. Mikale kicked and trashed. Naruto bit him every chance he got. Mikale snapped at Naruto's muzzle and pushed him off. He managed to get between the trees when Naruto jumped on him from behind. "Get back here!"

"Get off me!" Mikale shoved Naruto into a tree and tried to run. Insects covered the earth at his paws. Mikale had nowhere to run. Nowhere to go but up. He had no choice. Mikale jumped into the air and reached for a tree branch. Shikamaru grabbed the same branch with his shadow and pulled it away. Mikale missed his target and fell.

"Hyah!" Neji blasted Mikale into a tree trunk with his palm. Mikale tumbled down, landing on his injured shoulder. When Neji closed in, Mikale ran up the trunk of the tree.

Naruto was waiting for him at the top and pushed him off. The two went falling from the branch and towards his friends. Shikamaru, Shino and Neji were waiting for them. Naruto sank his teeth into Mikale's chest, making sure he wasn't going anywhere. They plummeted down and landed at their feet. The ninja watched the kitsune battle it out in another fur-flying brawl.

Mikale managed to escape Naruto's jaws and ran off.

"Cha!" Sakura punched the ground again, sending Mikale flying into the air. "Now!"

Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru and Shino leapt into the air, surrounding Mikale on all sides. There was no escape. Mikale saw that, too. Shino's bugs were overhead and down below with Sakura waiting with her fists. The boys were surrounding him in a circle in the air. Neji's eyes were upon him. Naruto was ready to bite him some more. Shikamaru had his weapons drawn and ready. There was no way out.

They all moved in with their attacks as Sakura waited below as backup.

Mikale's paws began to glow.

Naruto had seen this before. He knew what was coming.

"Curse!" Mikale bellowed.

"Move!" Naruto screamed.

The warning came too late. Mikale's movements were too quick and they were too close to avoid it.

Mikale's paws touched each boy in the chest. Even Naruto was hit. The only difference was Mikale's paw had stopped glowing by the time it reached Naruto. Mikale's strike was like a punch in the chest. Naruto, Shikamaru, Shino and Neji all went flying.

Sakura ducked down as each one was sent in a different direction, yelling as if they had been struck with a hot iron. Naruto was thrown to her right and crashed. "Naruto!" She couldn't see where he landed but the blow was powerful enough to do some real damage. Sakura looked above at Mikale's smirking face.

He was bleeding from his wounds. Despite this, when he dropped to the ground, he ran off with surprising speed. Sakura debated whether or not to chase after him. With those injuries he wouldn't get far. However, splitting up was discouraged with such an opponent. In any case, her friends needed her. That attack was sure to cause some injuries. She had to let Mikale go.

"Naruto!" Sakura called, searching for him in the bushes. "Naruto! Where are you?"

"Here!"

"Where?"

"He- Ow!"

Sakura looked down. She had stepped on Naruto's tail. "Oh, sorry!" She quickly stepped off. "Are you ok?"

"I've been better, but I'm alright." Naruto shifted back into his human form. "Where are the others?"

Sakura looked back. "I, uh..."

Naruto gasped. "Miakle! He cursed them! I saw! Then he blasted them away!" Naruto's heart started to race. "At that speed and with that force... if they're objects..." They could have been smashed on impact.

""No, no," Sakura tried to calm him down, though she wasn't any calmer herself. She was frightened of the thought of her friends being killed in such a way before their eyes. "I'm sure they're alright. There's plenty of grass for them to land on. Nice soft bushes and plants and stuff. They'll be fine."

She was having a hard time believing her own words.

"We have to find them," said Naruto, getting to his feet.

Sakura did not object. They both went looking for their friends, treading lightly just in case their object forms were underfoot. "Guys, are you ok? Anyone here? Can you hear me?"

"Over here!" came Shikamaru's voice.

Such wonderful relief hearing his voice answer their calls. He was alive.

They converged on his location, finding him upside-down at the base of a tree. Shikamaru flipped himself over and sat where he was. "You guys ok? Where are the others?"

"I'm here," said Shino, stepping out from behind a tree.

"Oh, good. How are you doing?"

"Got the wind knocked out of me but I'm alright."

Naruto looked from Shikamaru to Shino. They were both humans. Not objects. Not animals. Human. "I thought Mikale cursed you."

"So did I," said Shikamaru. "But I feel fine. I can move my body and I look about the same."

"Where's Neji?" Shino asked.

"I haven't seen him," said Sakura.

"Maybe Mikale can only curse one person at a time."

"That's a nice thought!" Sakura snapped.

"I was just saying..."

From further away, the group heard screaming.

"Neji?" Sakura looked around. "Is that Neji?"

The screaming came again.

"Neji?!"

"Guys?!" came his voice. "Where are you?!"

"Over here!" Sakura waved her arms in the air, hoping he would spot them. "Here we are, Neji!"

"Where?!" Neji sounded stricken. He sounded frighted and overwhelmed. "Help! Please, help!"

"Neji?" The group looked at each other. Neji had never sounded this way before. Something was wrong.

Then from between the trees, they saw him. Sakura waved her arms again to get his attention. Neji started to walk a different direction.

"We're here!" she called. "Over here!"

"Where?!" Neji turned back in their direction but his head kept searching from left to right. He took slow uneasy steps with his arms out to either side. "Where?!" he called again. He touched a tree trunk with his right hand while feeling around the air with his left.

Sakura looked horrified. "Something's wrong." She hurried over to Neji and stood in front of him. "Neji?"

His head turned to face her direction. "Sakura?" His hands felt around in the air for her. His foot snagged a root and he fell forward. Sakura held out her arms to catch him. Neji gripped her arms tightly looking around in a panic. Neji's left hand gripped her arm tightly while the other wandered up her shoulder, touching her carefully. "Sakura..?"

"Are you ok?" She already knew the answer.

"I... I can't see anything!" Neji wailed. "I'm blind!"

The others overheard. "What?"

"Blind! I'm blind! I can't see!"

"You can't see?!"

"No! Nothing!" Neji held Sakura tightly to maintain balance. He also couldn't find his way back to the group without her there to guide him.

With her help, Neji made it back to them safely. Everyone spoke to him, letting him know they were all there. He heard all their voices so he knew everyone was accounted for.

"Let me take a look." Sakura touched Neji's jaw, trying to guide him in her direction. "I'll see what sort of damage you've taken. Can you open your eyes?"

Neji opened his eyes as wide as he could. His white eyes had been colored black. How fitting considering all he could see what black. Neji's eyes had been plunged into darkness. Even his Byakugan was rendered useless.

"Very unnatural. I've never seen anything like this."

"It's a curse," Naruto said. Though he had never seen one like this, he knew what it was. "When Mikale touched everyone back there, we must have gotten cursed."

"Except for you since you're already cursed," said Shino.

"Right. I saw when he tried to touch me, his paw stopped glowing. Like the magic wouldn't effect me even if he wanted it to. So I'm safe. But the rest of you guys must have gotten cursed."

"So a curse doesn't have to turn a person into an object," said Sakura in surprise. "I guess it comes as no surprise since Naruto's curse didn't effect him that way."

"So the fox made me blind?" Neji sounded more angry than curious. No one blamed him. His curse was obvious.

"But I can see just fine," said Shikamaru.

"Me, too," said Shino.

"Then maybe he didn't get you guys," said Neji.

"No, he got them," said Naruto. "I was there. I saw. You all got hit with a curse. Now we have to figure out what he did to you."

"Obviously he took away Neji's sight," said Sakura. "But they seem to have all their senses. Mikale must have taken something else away from them. But what? How do we test it?"

Naruto studied Neji carefully. The clues must have rested in his curse. Naruto was certain there was a pattern to this curse. If they all got hit with the same attack, their curses must have had something in common.

If Neji's eyesight was taken, what did that mean? Obviously he couldn't see. What else? If Neji could not see, then he could not use his Byakugan.

"What if it has something to do with jutsu?" Naruto wondered aloud. "Neji can't use his Byakugan now. Maybe the curse has a way of effecting your jutsu."

Shikamaru and Shino glanced at each other. They had to test it. Shikamaru used one of his shadow techniques which worked perfectly. His jutsu was still working.

Shino's, on the other hand, was not.

"I can't summon my bugs," he said in frustration. "They won't listen to me. In fact, I can't contact them at all. It's as if they've been sealed away inside of me."

"That's Shino's curse," announced Sakura. "The kitsune must have sealed away his bugs just like he sealed Neji's sight."

"Then what's my curse?" asked Shikamaru. "I can use all my jutsu just fine and all my senses are working."

"You're right. What does Shikamaru have?"

Naruto sniffed around Shikamaru's body, trying to detect something. There was no trace of anything amiss. No part of his body was transformed and he didn't smell like an animal. There was nothing irregular about him.

No one could put their finger on it.

"Shino can't use his bugs and Neji can't see," Sakura muttered to herself. "But Shikamaru seems perfectly fine. I don't get it. He must have been cursed. But how? What is his curse?"

"Perhaps it isn't physical," said Shino. "Maybe it's a mental curse."

"But he knows who we are and he isn't acting out of the ordinary."

"And I feel fine."

No one could figure it out.

Sakura looked at the sky. "We've burnt a lot of daylight. It'll be sunset soon. We need a plan of action."

"Agreed," said Shino. "The kitsune's run off. He's still out there somewhere. Since we've been cursed, we're handicapped. Knowing we're in a weakened state, he may try to attack to finish the job."

"But I saw you guys injure him," said Sakura. "With those kinds of wounds, he won't get very far. I think he was just trying to get away. He's in no condition to fight now. I think he retreated to take care of his wounds."

"True. He probably found a safe place to rest and heal. He may not attack us so soon. Cursed or not. And with him being in a weakened state with such injuries, he may not be able to put up a full fight. If we're going to attack him, now's the time. However, we're in no condition to finish the job ourselves. Even if he can't get far, it doesn't change the fact that we don't know where he is. I can't use my bugs to locate him and Neji can't spot him. Kiba and Akamaru aren't around to track his scent. But Naruto can. And with Mikale bleeding the way that he is, it should be easy for Naruto to get a good scent. Even so, we're in no condition to fight him. And if he is injured, there's no doubt he'll be fighting for his life. Weak or not, he'll still put up a fight against us, knowing what's at stake."

"All good points," said Sakura.

Shino managed to summarize their situation quickly and accurately. If they went looking for Mikale and found him, considering the damage both sides took, the battle could go either way. However, it seemed to be leaning more towards him being the victor. Despite being injured, when it came to a fight for his life, they couldn't underestimate his determination to stay alive. He was going to fight back no matter his injuries. With them being in their current state and Shikamaru's curse still being unknown, it was impossible to tell how the battle would go down. They were weakened by their curses. With Neji being unable to see, the group would have to keep an eye out for him and protect him since he would never see danger coming. Shino could no longer use his bugs and that was his main weapon in battle. Basically they were being asked to go into battle with no weapons blindfolded. Especially in Shikamaru's case with his curse being an unknown. They couldn't charge into battle and find out then. This wasn't a situation where they could hope for the best. Even if they thought they could handle it, shortcomings and all, it was too big a risk. Anything could happen. Especially against a kitsune. Anyone, actually.

Sakura turned to Shikamaru. "Ok, Shikamaru, what should we do? You're the leader and come up with the battle plans. What's the best plan of action? Tell us what we should do."

Shikamaru glanced in her direction then slowly turned away as if thinking. As he stood quietly, the expression on his face began to change. He looked more troubled by the second until finally he looked terrified. "I... can't."

"Can't what?"

Shikamaru turned back to face Sakura, wearing a worried expression on his face. "I can't think of a plan."

"I'm sure if you gave it a second-"

"No, I mean I can't. I can't think!"

"What do you mean you can't think?"

Shikamaru leaned against a tree trunk as if he were injured. "I can't come up with any plans. I can't think of any plans at all. I can't think two steps ahead or any steps. I can't string things together in my mind the way I used to. I can't formulate a single idea! At all!"

Naruto approached him. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying my ability to think strategically is gone!" Shikamaru cried. "I don't know what we should do! I can't even think of outcomes that may happen from doing something. I can't think of anything!" Shikamaru slumped to the ground, overwhelmed.

"That's his curse!" Sakura gasped. "That has to be it. Neji's eyesight, Shino's bugs, and Shikamaru's strategic genius. They were all taken away. That must have been the kitsune's curse. He took away the things that gave them an edge. Their most valuable abilities. The things that make them special in battle. That's what their curses all have in common."

"The kitsune must have taken these away from us because he felt threatened by them and without them it would be next to impossible for us to fight," said Shino.

Silence followed.

It was a very stressful and fearful silence.

Naruto had to break it. "What do we do now?"

Feeling that the question was somehow directed at him, Shikamaru turned away biting his lip.

It seemed now everything fell on Shino's shoulders. At least that was how it appeared when he suddenly took charge. "We know our mission and we have our options. We've been over everything important. We know that the fox is injured and in no condition to fight. I think it's safe to say that he will not be attacking us again tonight. He must tend to his own wounds. In the meantime we have our own issues to deal with. So I say we cut our losses and-"

"There's no way we're giving up!" Naruto snapped, fox ears popping out of the top of his head. "We can't go back to the village! The kitsune is nearby in this area. If we go back now we may never find him again."

"I was going to say that we set up camp and sleep on it. We'll figure out what to do in the morning," said Shino.

Naruto's ears disappeared. "Oh." He was glad to hear it.

"Are you sure that's the right thing to do in this situation?" asked Sakura, concerned. "Two of us are in no condition to fight if something happens." She was referring to Neji and Shino himself.

"I'm aware of that. But on the plus side we cannot be cursed again. So it isn't like this can get much worse."

"Yeah... But..."

"There's no harm in waiting until morning to decide. Right now we all need some rest and time to think this over. I say we make camp and decide in the morning."

"I side with Shino," said Naruto, raising his hand.

Sighing, Sakura reluctantly agreed. "Alright. In the morning."

The group started to set up camp. Since no one had really excepted to be camping out on such a mission, no one brought a tent. Sakura didn't bother to bring a sleeping bag, focusing instead on medical supplies and food rations. Thankfully she did have a blanket in her bag just in case. Shino was the only one who bothered to bring a sleeping bag. Naruto didn't bother to bring anything with him, favoring to travel light instead. The only thing on his person other than his clothing were his ninja tools. He didn't even bother with his backpack. Figuring he would be changing back and forth from fox to human, he didn't see the point. A fox wouldn't be able to carry a backpack. He didn't regret his choice. To keep warm when he slept, he would turn into his fox form and curl up in his furry body.

Unfortunately, the others couldn't do the same. While Sakura draped the small thin blanket over her shoulders and Shino stuffed himself into his sleeping bag, Neji and Shikamaru were exposed to the elements. Neji fumbled blindly for a comfortable spot to lay, settling for a place between the roots of a tree. Shikamaru watched him until he managed to sit down without hurting himself and then curled up under his own tree. Shikamaru hugged his knees to his chest and stared at the ground.

Soon it became clear that Shikamaru wasn't trying to relax and go to sleep. The reality had finally sunk in and understood what this meant. An important part of him had been taken away. It felt like he was robbed. A piece of himself had been stolen. He was only half of himself. He felt incomplete. On a less personal note, he felt useless on this mission. He was given leadership and was chosen for this mission based solely on his intellect. Without it, what good was he? If he made an attempt to do something, he could be leading his team into danger. He wanted to help only he couldn't. He needed his mind to function the way it used to. This curse was exactly that: a curse.

Neji was in the same position as Shikamaru. Not only did he feel useless but he was also afraid. It was scary to no longer be able to see the world around him. Unable to sense danger or see it coming. Not knowing what other people were doing or where he was. Without Sakura's help, he would have been unable to locate his friends even with them calling out to him. The thick woods made it difficult to track their voices. Neji was frightened. He had to get his sight back. He wanted to be able to see. It was valuable to him not just for missions but for life. This was his sight. He had to have it. It was a part of him. He needed it.

Naruto watched the two of them curiously. Neji kept his eyes shut since there was no point in keeping them open. It was clear, however, that he was not asleep yet. He remained in an upright position, curled up around his legs. Shikamaru was doing the same. They were huddled for warmth. Naruto looked down at his human body. He had no more than they had. Just the clothes on their backs and nothing more. Still, Naruto knew he could get by. Even with a little less.

Naruto shed his jacket and draped it over Neji's shoulders. Unable to see who it was, Neji flinched as soon as the jacket touched him. "Who's..?"

"It's just me," Naruto whispered. "Take my jacket. I'm too warm with it on."

Neji frowned. "I don't need it."

"Take it anyway." He should have known Neji would be too proud to take something when offered.

Even so, Neji, against his own pride, took the jacket and held it close to his body. It still carried Naruto's warmth and his scent. Neji didn't speak a word but accepting the jacket was enough of a thank-you for Naruto.

Next it was Shikamaru's turn. Bare-chested, Naruto came walking over on two legs. As he got closer, Naruto dropped to four and grew fur. When Shikamaru looked up he saw Naruto in hybrid form watching him.

"What?"

"You look cold."

Shikamaru turned away. "I'm fine."

It was in Naruto's personality to want to help people. It was in his fox nature to do what he did next. He circled Shikamaru like a cat, rubbing his fur against Shikamaru before stopping and dropping to the ground, curled around his friend's body.

"What are you doing?" Shikamaru tried to move away.

Naruto pulled Shikamaru down with one arm, forcing him to lay on Naruto's body. "Don't complain. If you get a cold for something, you'll be even more useless on the mission."

That hit a sore spot. "Do you have any idea how I feel right now, Naruto? Any idea? I'm miserable and scared and-"

"And let's not add 'cold' to that list, ok?" Naruto's tail wrapped around Shikamaru's torso. "My fur won't be enough to keep me warm so we might as well share our body heat."

Shikamaru may not have been as intelligent as he was before the curse, but he knew enough to understand that Naruto was trying to help him. In any way that he could. There was no point in arguing. Naruto wasn't going anywhere.

"Alright." Shikamaru gave in.

Naruto smiled and closed his eyes.

Shikamaru rested his head on Naruto's torso. His fur was really warm. Soft, too. Especially his tail. Naruto's tail was wrapped around Shikamaru's chest like a blanket.

He still had so many questions. So many fears and worries. What would come of him being cursed? Would this escalate? Was he aware of just how bad this really was? Or was he going to be too stupid to tell? So far he didn't feel like a complete moron. His mind was just foggy and he was incapable to come up with a plan. At this point, he was just along for the ride. He had to trust in his team to come up with a plan for him. There was not much else he could do.

"Naruto."

"Hm?"

"Your fur is really soft."

"Mm. Yeah."

* * *

Please review ^-^


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

"You think you can ignore me?"

Naruto frowned.

"Have you forgotten about me? How could you?"

It was hot. Like steam shooting from a furnace. It came at him like puffs of air.

"I'm still here, Naruto. Don't think you've gotten rid of me, boy."

Naruto turned around to face the Nine-Tailed Fox. Just was as big as ever. The heat coming from his mouth as he growled his words warmed Naruto's cheeks as if he were standing by an open fire.

"Cursed or not, the seal is still in place. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know that." Naruto knew the curse wouldn't effect the seal or the beast living within his body. Everyone else was concerned about it but Naruto was confident that nothing would happen. Though it was a bit strange for the fox to suddenly start talking to him now. Usually their conversations weren't random. He spoke when he had reason to.

"It seems your friends are in a bit of a pinch." The beast started to cackle. "You couldn't stop them from being cursed, could you? That is a pity. But if you had my power, you could do it. Couldn't you? I'm aware of what you're going through, Naruto. Make no mistake about that. I know everything that happens to you and your weak human body."

"What's your point?" Naruto asked.

"Aren't you curious what would happen of you combined my powers with that of your curse?"

"I can't use both at once."

"Not your ninja abilities, but I'm talking about my power. Kitsune may be different, but I'm still a fox and so are they. And their power depends on the number of tails they possess. I would be a god in their eyes. You could surpass them all with me."

Naruto didn't think combining the Nine-Tails' power with fox magic was possible. Then again he never bothered to try. Such a thing sounded too dangerous. Naruto had only trained himself to discover the limitations of switching from fox and human form. But only fox and human. He never tapped into the red chakra of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

It was already established that his fox traits would appear if he got emotional. Like his tail appearing or his ears. That was small compared to what happened with the red chakra. When Naruto was furious, displaying a lot more emotion than with his kitsune form, he would tap into the red chakra. When that happened, sure he got more powerful, but he would also lose control. There was no way he was going to play around with that.

"Come on," tempted the Nine-Tails. "Remove the seal. See what sort of power you can attain with your curse and my power. Go on. Remove it. Your enemy will not stand a chance."

"No way," said Naruto. "I didn't remove the seal before and I'm not going to now."

The giant pair of red eyes narrowed angrily. The beast snarled at him.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but there's no way I'm doing that."

"Aren't you curious to see what would happen?" asked the beast, once again tempting him. "Even in the slightest?"

"It's not worth it."

It wasn't. Yamato warned him about the power of that red chakra and what it could do. He was the one who told him that in his fury Naruto had injured Sakura. After that Naruto was too afraid to use that power again. Not unless he could control it. Yamato told him that he was better off using his own power and not to rely on the beast's. He had trained to use that power with the Toad Sage but it was difficult and dangerous. Even he told Naruto to be careful.

With that sort of training, it was highly supervised. What the Nine-Tails was suggesting was something not only dangerous but reckless. He was basically telling Naruto to remove the seal and see what happened. Naruto wasn't that desperate or that foolish.

"Not for training and not for curiosity," Naruto told him. "I'm handling this my way. I don't need to remove the seal and I don't want to."

The beast snarled at him in annoyance. Naruto wasn't going to be tricked. "Fine. Be that way. Just remember that I am still here. If things get out of hand, I'll be there to take care of things. Remember that. Curse or no curse, the seal remains in place and I remain with you. Being a kitsune doesn't change that."

He knew what the Nine-Tails was trying to say. First and foremost that if Naruto got too emotional, if he couldn't handle the situation like in the past, the beast would take over like before. The curse didn't change that. He could still take control of Naruto's body and go on a rampage. The curse didn't do anything to the Nine-Tails. Just to Naruto's physical form. Other than the fact that he could turn into a kitsune and use fox magic, nothing changed. The same rules were in place and the dangers remained the same.

He didn't want to think about what could happen if things got out of control. If the beast's power could be amplified because of the kitsune curse. This was something he couldn't mess around with. Naruto wasn't going to take any chances or experiment. He had to do this in the way he had decided. The beast wasn't going to change his mind.

"You can't pressure me and you can't scare me," Naruto told him. "I'm doing this my way."

The beast scoffed. "Once again using someone else's power to do so. If it's not my power it's that of a kitsune. When do you ever use your own power? Always borrowing. Pathetic, you are."

It was Naruto's turn to scoff. "It was a gift given to me by a friend. He hoped it would protect me. Give me an advantage. I would be foolish not to take it. And besides, I can't do it alone. Never could. I've always needed help from someone else and there's no shame in that. It helped me get stronger. You say using kitsune powers is cheating. But is it cheating that I had to learn jutsu from a teacher? That I had to be taught? I wasn't born knowing. I had to be taught. I got stronger through training. Is that cheating? Jutsu or fox magic, someone who cares about me wants me to learn this stuff so I can get stronger. They want to help me. I don't think that's pathetic. I think that's how people get better."

The Nine-Tails growled and shrank back behind his bars. "You can go on and on about this but I don't want to hear it. You've made your point. I could say a few things back about how wrong you are but that would only encourage you to talk. I'm done with this conversation. If you're not going to let me out then I see no point in continuing. Do as you wish. Just remember what I said. I will be there if you can't handle it. So stay on your toes."

Naruto smirked and nodded back. "Thanks for the concern. But I can handle it."

The giant fox smirked back. "Can you?"

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes. It was just before dawn and the insects were still chirping and buzzing about in the woods, only they were a lot quieter now. Naruto lifted his head and looked around at his friends. Neji was still wearing Naruto's jacket and Sakura was still asleep under her blanket and Shino was still in his sleeping bag. Right where he left them. He looked down at Shikamaru who was asleep on his body, tail pulled over his shoulders.

Something in Naruto told him to move. There was no danger. He just had to move. Something in him was driving him to go into the woods. To hunt. He wanted to provide his friends with a meal. It must have been a combination of his own personality and his fox instincts. He had a desire to help them in any way that he could. Especially during this difficult time. He had to make things a little easier for them.

Very slowly, Naruto started to ease his way out from under Shikamaru. Feeling Naruto move out from under him and his own body starting to shift, Shikamaru moaned. Naruto stopped. He didn't want to wake him. After a moment, Naruto wedged his hand under Shikamaru's head and gently lifted him up, moving his own body out from under him. Then he slowly lowered Shikamaru's head down onto Neji's bag which he had pulled from beside the tree. Holding his breath, Naruto waited for Shikamaru to settle into his new position and crept away. Shikamaru did not wake up.

Once he was safe to do so, Naruto shifted into his full fox form and scurried into the woods. He turned back only once to look at his friends, then left their campsite.

He knew how to hunt. The kitsune showed him how to do it in his fox form. It was a part of his training. He had shown much improvement during his time in the mountain with his fox friends. It was fun. He enjoyed it. He wanted to hunt. Not only was it fun and would provide his friends with food, but it was a good way to blow off some steam. His cursed friends weren't the only ones who were frustrated. He had a few things he wanted to work out, too.

* * *

An hour later, the rest of the team started to get up and pack away their things. Sakura went to check on Neji. As she went to touch him, she noticed the jacket draped over his shoulders. It belonged to Naruto. She looked around the campsite but couldn't find him. She wanted to ask Neji if he had seen him but stopped herself knowing he wouldn't appreciate being asked if he had 'seen' anyone.

"Neji?"

He lifted his head. "Yeah?"

"Are you up?"

"I am now. What time is it?"

"It's dawn."

Neji opened his eyes and glanced around. Everything was still in total darkness. There was no point in keeping them open. He closed them again with a heavy sigh. "What does it look like?"

"Hm?"

"The sky," he said. "What does it look like? Does it look like rain? Is it sunny? What?"

"Oh. Uh..." Sakura looked at the sky. "It's... getting brighter. It's still early so..." Sakura trailed off. Neji couldn't see any of this. The whole world was hidden from him. Though Neji remained stoic most of the time, she could read the sadness on his face. He was trying not to let it show. He was always good at hiding how he really felt inside. A true ninja could not show emotion.

In this case, for Neji, it was next to impossible.

Sakura stood up and went over to Shikamaru. "Shikamaru," she called gently.

Moaning, he curled into a ball. "Five more minutes," he said sleepily.

Seeing no harm in letting him rest for a little longer, Sakura left him alone.

She looked around once more for Naruto but there was no sign of him. "Shino, have you seen Naruto?"

Shino, having just finished packing away his sleeping bag, shrugged. "No. I could send out some of my bugs to find..." Shino stopped. "Oh." He looked down sadly. "I had forgotten."

He was still struggling with this, too. Just like Neji, he was trying not to let it show.

Sakura felt bad for them. There must have been something she could do. There wasn't. She couldn't remove their curses. The only way to do that was to stop the kitsune who cast it. Which meant going after Mikale.

Maybe if she went alone..? No that would have been foolish. She wasn't cursed yet so she would have been an easy target. She saw what happened when Kiba went off to try to stop the kitsune. Going off alone was a terrible idea. Which meant she would have to wait until the others decided what move to make next.

"Guys!"

Off in the distance, they heard Naruto's voice.

"Naruto?" Sakura turned her body, trying to locate her teammate.

"Guys!" Naruto appeared between the trees carrying something in his mouth. "I brought breakfast. Now we don't have to eat through all our rations."

"What is that in your mouth?" Sakura gulped.

"Rabbit." He happily dropped it on the ground next to Neji's leg.

Neji flinched hearing something hit the ground beside him. "Please tell me whatever you dropped next to me isn't dead."

"Sorry, Neji." Naruto picked it up in his human hand. "I couldn't stay still so I went out and hunted it down. We just have to cook it and eat it."

"Sounds like a bit for work," said Sakura. "But... thanks for getting it anyway." She had to thank him for going out into the woods on his own to get food for them without having to be told. She had to be considerate and show some gratitude.

"It will make a decent breakfast," said Shino. "And we should have something in us when we going over our next course of action."

Once the rabbit was skinned and cooked, everyone gathered around to sample a taste while they went over the plan.

"We've already been over what we know. There's no point in repeating it. We know we're cursed and that the enemy is injured. We know the risks if we go after the enemy and if we go home. We know what could happen in either case. It seems like a no-win situation. No matter what we do, something could go wrong. We know this. What we have to figure out now is what we're going to do. Are we going to continue with the mission as we are now, or are we going back to the village?"

Naruto didn't want to go back. They had unfinished business here. They had to deal with the fox. They were so close. "I say we continue. We know he's hurt and in the area. It makes more sense to keep going."

"But Naruto more than half of us are cursed," pointed out Sakura. "We've been weakened."

"I can't see anything," grumbled Neji. "How am I supposed to fight when I can't see?"

"And I can't come up with any plans," said Shikamaru. "I can't think the way I used to."

"Yeah, but you're not stupid. You still know stuff."

"But we don't know the extent of this curse!" snapped Shikamaru. "And I'd rather not find out in the heat of battle, Naruto. All we know about my curse so far is that I can't come up with any strategies. That for which I was called a genius is gone."

"At least you can think like a normal person."

"Even a normal person can think ahead of someone or at least come up with some sort of plan and see to some extent the results of their actions. I can't."

"So in other words if you throw a rock at a window, you wouldn't know if the window will break or not? Is that what you're saying?"

"I don't know! Maybe!" Shikamaru hid behind his arms as he brought his head to his bent knees. His curse was so overwhelming. His mind was a jumble. Most of the time he felt like he was in a fog. He felt so simple. That he couldn't do anything and that someone had to call the shots for him. He was just along for the ride. Like a toddler dependent on its mother.

"We have to be considerate of the ones that have been cursed, Naruto," said Sakura. "Remember that Shino can't use his bugs anymore so his jutsu is limited. And with Neji and Shikamaru... Everyone has been weakened."

"Except for you. Sakura, you never got cursed."

"Which makes her a target," said Neji. "She can still be cursed. And if the fox does manage to curse her she may either become an object or be cursed like us. She could have something important taken away from her. We need Sakura's mind, her strength and her medical knowledge. If any of those things are taken away..."

"Which is why we should go back to the Leaf Village."

"No!" Naruto's ears and tail popped out again along with claws. "He's here in this area. We know he's close by and hurt. This is a good time to act and get him. We can end this. Once he's defeated your curses will be lifted."

"But we already talked about the dangers with doing that. He is an animal after all. When animals are scared or injured, they're going to fight for their lives. His attack may be worse than before. Plus with everyone's curse, we're at a disadvantage. Naruto, it doesn't make sense. We could be walking into a trap. In fact, given what we know, we may as well be. We're doomed to fail."

"No, we're not!" Naruto transformed into his hybrid form. "I'm telling you that this is our only chance! We can do this!"

"Sakura has a point, Naruto," said Shino. "We're at a disadvantage. It may be for the best that we cut our losses and go home."

"And fail the mission? And go home in defeat?"

"It's better that than going in as we are now and getting ourselves killed!"

"But if we go back to the village then his injuries will heal and the attacks will continue! Like the fire illusion he cast before! More of that will go on! And even if we go home, you guys are still going to be cursed! It makes more sense to finish the job and get everyone fixed up!"

Naruto had a point. Going home wouldn't change the fact that their curses would remain. The curse would be broken if the fox was defeated. That was the fact of the matter.

"And if we do go home, they might send more ninja out to take care of this and they could get cursed, too. I don't want more people to end up cursed because of this fox," Naruto continued. "If we stay with the mission and go on, no one else has to get cursed. And since you guys are already cursed, you can't get cursed again. That's a plus."

"He has a point," said Neji. "The next team to be dispatched would end up cursed as well."

"Plus Naruto is the only one who can see through the kitsune's illusions and track his scent."

"He could just go with the other team... But they could still end up cursed. We can't since that ship has sailed."

The group was silent.

"So what do we do?"

Naruto shifted back into his human form but kept the tail. He looked from one worried face to the next, waiting.

"Greater good. Taking risks." Shino sighed. "What do you think?"

Sakura spoke first. "I think we should do as Naruto says. He knows these kitsune better than any of us here."

"And I want this curse lifted as soon as possible," said Neji. "I say we stay on the mission. Against my better judgment."

"We've been in it this long. I guess I'm in, too," said Shikamaru. "I say we keep going."

"Alright," said Shino with a heavy sigh. "We'll continue with the mission." Though he did sigh heavily, there was a bit of excitement in his voice. He must have secretly wanted to continue with the mission as well.

Naruto was so pleased. He transformed into a kitsune and started jumping with joy.

"Naruto!"

"What?"

"Control yourself."

He changed back into a human.

"Alright. Since we've established that we're continuing with the mission knowing what we know, what's the plan?" asked Neji. "With all our handicaps, what should we do? What's the best way to handle this?"

Once again, silence fell. They had agreed to continue with the mission but they didn't have a plan of action. How could they fight when one person couldn't see, one couldn't use his jutsu, and one who was no longer a genius strategist? Not to mention how one kept switching from human to fox occasionally beyond his control.

* * *

While everyone tried to think of a plan, Naruto wandered into the forest to find better use of his time. He didn't feel like sticking around with the others while they tried in vain to come up with a strategy. He found it boring and he was feeling restless. He would much rather go foraging in the forest.

As he passed a fallen log, he noticed a cluster of creamy white mushrooms spreading out from a tree like Chinese fans. Naruto gave them a curious sniff. The mushrooms were a light beige-cream color with a tiny tint of yellow on the edges. These were edible. Very young and fresh.

In the beginning of his ninja training, Naruto was unable to tell which plants growing in the wild were edible or not. Once or twice he got sick from making such a mistake. After some experience and training with the Toad Sage, Naruto was able to tell the difference. After training with the kitsune, his ability to spot the difference had improved exponentially. He was able to tell what plants were good to eat on sight and by scent. He even knew the certain properties of different plants. The kitsune taught him which plants could help treat injuries and stomach aches. He owed them a lot. His training wasn't just fox magic but everything that went along with being a fox. Including hunting and foraging. It came in handy many times. Not just when he was a fox but on missions as a ninja as well.

Naruto climbed up onto the fallen log to reach the mushrooms growing on the tree. He stood on his hind legs and tried to reach them with his paws but all he felt was the rough bark under his paw pads. He tried climbing up the trunk the way the kitsune had taught him but his paws slide off the surface as if it had been waxed. The log wobbled under his weight. Finally he jumped and grabbed onto the mushrooms with his teeth. He ripped a section off, separating the flesh from the bark. His tugging disturbed a spider which raced out of the mushroom's white folds. Naruto stopped to watch it crawl on its delicate spindly legs across the trunk and disappear into a peel of bark.

Running and hiding, trying to get somewhere safe. Was that what they were reduced to? Naruto tried to shake that thought from his mind but it wouldn't leave him.

He didn't want the enemy to cause such feelings in his friends or in himself. His friends were actually thinking of going home where it was safe. They were so close to the kitsune. He was injured. If they went home and dispatched a new team to go after the kitsune, that meant more time was being wasted. Time the kitsune could use to recover. The new team wouldn't know where they last spotted the kitsune and they wouldn't stand a chance if the kitsune either cursed them or used an illusion. Naruto and his friends had seen what the kitsune could do first hand and a new team would have to find out on their own. Naruto understood why his friends were nervous about going after the enemy in this state, but he was positive that continuing was the best thing to do. They had to finish the job. They had to resolve this.

Naruto gathered up the mushrooms into a pile and tried to think how he was going to carry them back. That's when he remembered that he could change back into a human and carry them back that way. It took him a moment to realize that he was still a human.

A moment.

Naruto frowned. For a short time, he actually forgot that he was a human being and not a kitsune. Why?

It was very peaceful out here in the forest. Though he was all alone he didn't feel lonely. Not when he remembered all the good times he had with his kitsune friends in the forest and in the mountain. Exploring, hunting, racing... It was fun. Great fun. He couldn't put his feelings into words. He just felt alive. He loved spending time with them. He found hunting fun. Racing with his friends was fun. Even when they were in danger, seeing everyone band together to help each other out was fantastic. They beat the enemy together. Their illusions, their training, their voices... He missed them. He cared for them.

When he was with them, he didn't see them as kitsune. He saw them as friends. He looked at them no differently than he would his human friends. To him there was no difference. Friends were friends.

He wanted to see them again. He wanted to see Ryosuke. He missed him so much. He looked up to him in a similar way he did Kakashi. Why wouldn't he? Ryosuke did teach him how to be a kitsune. He was the leader. They were friends.

Naruto really wanted to be with the leader of the mountain kitsune again.

He started to feel lonely again.

At one time the forest was alive with kitsune, running and laughing together. He missed that.

The people he was with now were too upset to laugh or play with him. They didn't want to race. They wanted to go home. They wanted to pout. How could he relate to them?

"Ah!" Naruto shook his head and tried to put that thought out of his mind. He knew he was a human under a curse. He knew that. He understood that. And yet...

He was starting to relate more with the kitsune than his own kind. No, he was both. While he was under this curse, he was both human and kitsune. Still, he was starting to feel as if...

He had to get back to his friends. His human friends.

* * *

When Naruto returned to the campsite in his human form carrying the mushrooms, he found everyone in a worse mood than when he left. Some were arguing and others were sitting silently with a sour look on their faces. Then when one argument ended another one began with someone else.

"What is going on?" Naruto asked.

"We can't come up with any plans!" Shikamaru cried. "We don't know what to do and things are getting worse!"

"Worse than this?"

"I need help for everything!" Neji complained. "I can't find my bag without help. I tried to get a drink of water and I almost drink one of Sakura's medicine bottles. I hate this! I can't do anything on my own! I'm totally helpless!"

"And I'm tired of being in a fog! I want to be able to think the way I used to. I feel so stupid! Is this what it's like for other people? I've never felt like this before. I hate it!"

"My jutsu was what I-"

"Everyone's stressed out and scared!"

"My physical strength is decent but as I've stated, I'm not as powerful as Rock Lee. I could-"

"I want this curse broken already! But we can't unless we defeat the fox and I don't see how we can!"

"I can't see at all!"

Naruto was feeling overwhelmed, too. His stressed caused his fox tail to appear again. He hated seeing his friends like this. He had to do something to help. Maybe if he changed the subject.

He held out the mushrooms in his hands. "I brought back more food."

Shikamaru slapped them out of his hands. "You don't get it! Can't you tell that we're all under a lot of stressed and we're not in a good way?"

"Yeah, I can. I just thought-"

"I don't expect you to understand what we're going through, Naruto! What hell this is for us! You didn't have something important taken away from you!"

Naruto frowned. "Hey, I'm cursed, too, you know."

"But with your curse, you gained," said Neji. "We lost something."

"He's right," said Shikamaru. "You gained the powers of a kitsune. You're stronger now because of it. You have an advantage. We don't. You gained fox magic. You didn't lose anything."

Naruto's ears appeared and so did his claws as his rage started to build. "How do you know?!" he snapped. "Maybe I lost something, too!"

"Your ability to maintain form, maybe. That's a minor thing compared to-"

"I meant my humanity!" Naruto barked. "Maybe I'm losing that! But how would you know being obsessed with your problems?!"

Everyone grew quiet.

Shikamaru no longer looked angry, but worried. "What?"

Naruto's rage started to subside. Now he felt fear and sorrow. "When I was in the forest gathering food... I felt at peace. Like I was where I belonged. I felt at home in the forest. I find hunting fun. I like being a fox. I enjoy it. And that's what has me worried. I'm worried I might be starting to lose the part of me that's human. Even in the forest, when I was gathering those mushrooms, I was wondering how I would bring them back. I forgot that I could turn back into a human and carry them. It took me a second to remember. That's when I got scared."

"But you remembered, didn't you? It just took you a second."

Naruto shook his head. "It's not just that. Lately I've been... I..." Naruto tried to calm himself down. His claws were digging into the palms of his hands. "It's been easier for me to relate to the kitsune than to you guys. You've become my human friends and not just my friends. I labeled you. You different. I'm different. And..." Naruto sniffled. "I'm starting to feel like a stranger in my own skin."

No one had stopped to consider Naruto's condition. Sakura was so concerned about the seal being broken and not about what Naruto must have been going through on the inside. Naruto was under a curse after all. He was cursed.

"At first I thought this curse was a blessing because of what it allowed me. Now I'm remembering that it is still a curse." Naruto lowered his head. "I don't want to feel that way. That I can't relate to my friends anymore. That I have more in common with an animal than a human, the thing I was born as."

Shikamaru was sorry he reacted the way that he did. He was so concerned about himself he forgot about everyone else. This curse was overwhelming to him. It made him act in a way he normally wouldn't.

"When you felt that way, you were a kitsune, weren't you?" asked Shino.

"Y- yeah..."

"Then it's no problem. You were in a different form so of course you would feel that way. It's natural."

Shino did make him feel a little better by saying that, but Naruto was still concerned.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Shikamaru said quietly. "I overreacted."

"I get it. It's ok."

"Let's all calm down," Shino tried to keep the peace. "We're all upset. That's a given. We can't start turning on each other. I say we take a break and chill. Just stay calm and stay at camp for a while."

Everyone agreed and tried to remain calm.

Naruto couldn't stay silent. He had some things he needed to get off his chest. "Before when I was first cursed, the kitsune had to train me. Not just in fox magic but everything else. When I was hunting with them, I was doing really bad because I kept trying to catch mice with my paws. I couldn't grab them like that. Ryosuke told me to use my teeth because they would be my hands now. That was how a kitsune would grab. So I did and my hunting got way better. I had to remind myself when I went hunting with them to do what they did and use my teeth and not my paws." Naruto sighed. "But when I was in the forest just now, I didn't have that problem. I didn't have to remind myself of that. I actually had to remind myself to use human techniques. Like turning back into a human to carry things. It's the opposite. So I'm worried that I might be losing the part of me that's human."

Even if Shino said that it was the form Naruto was in that was calling his judgments, Naruto wasn't convinced. He still felt like something was wrong with him.

"Even the parts of me that feel normal and come naturally. I'm starting to wonder who they're natural for. The human me or the fox me? Either way it feels normal, but what kind of normal? I don't think I can tell because it feels right. I've started to notice things like that. It's not often so I have to wonder if it's happening all the time and I'm not aware of it. Like hunting. To me it's normal for me to use my teeth. But that's normal for a fox and not a human. But it feels right. So I..."

Sakura put a hand on Naruto's shoulder to comfort him. "It's ok. You'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

"I am worried."

"I know you are but you don't have to be. You can't be losing your humanity."

Naruto sniffled but he wasn't crying. "Can I really be two things at once? Or do I have to pick? What if one is stronger than the other? I like being a human and I like being a fox. I can't choose. I know I'm a human but..."

"You can be both, Naruto. You don't have to be one or the other. Seki just gave you fox powers, right? You're still you. You're still concerned about us and yourself and you have feelings and you're you. You haven't changed. Definitely not on the inside. The important parts of you haven't changed. So don't worry about it."

That did make him feel a little better. Both could exist. He had both human and animal friends. So why would he have to pick being just one or the other? He didn't discriminate when it came to the company he kept. He was friends with anyone who wanted to be. He liked both humans and animals. Just because he was a kitsune didn't mean he had to exclusively be with kitsune and get rid of his human friends. Even when he was human he was still friends with the kitsune and they were friends with him. This curse didn't change him. Not the part of him that mattered.

Maybe he was worrying about nothing.

* * *

We got to see a little of the Nine-Tails in this chapter. Don't worry. He'll be back.

Please review ^-^


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

Feeling they couldn't stay in the same place for two nights, Shino advised the group to move to another location and set up camp there for another night. No one objected. Neji tried to feel his way around the forest but was having trouble with the uneven earth and the many tree roots. Sakura stayed behind to help guide him, something he needed but wasn't too thrilled about having. Now Naruto saw what Neji meant by helpless. Even eating was a chore for him. He didn't know what container was what, which was why he almost mistakenly drank one of Sakura's medical bottles. His hands were his only way to see now. Feeling around wasn't the best and he still made mistakes, but it was better than nothing.

The group stopped to take a break after an hour of walking to eat. Neji tried to feel around in his bag for something to eat but his hand closed around two different bags. One was a bag of nuts he had brought along for the trip and the other was a bag of medical supplies for minor cuts and poisons, but he had no way of telling which was which. He tried to feel the contents with his fingers, but the nuts felt exactly the same as the antidote pills in his supply bag.

"It's this one," Sakura opened the correct bag and held it out for him.

"Thanks." Neji reached for the bag but his fingers grasped air. He felt around for her hand. Sakura brought her hand to his to ease his struggle. Touching her hand with his, Neji felt around for the open bag. He grasped it and reached inside with his other hand to grab a few nuts. He gave them small test bites before putting them into his mouth to eat them, just to be sure.

He really was helpless. Neji never needed help from anyone before. Not as far as Naruto could see. He was always the one helping others. Being in such a state must have been so painful for someone as proud as him. Neji must have been embarrassed and frustrated. Naruto wanted to help him but wasn't sure how. He knew Neji really wanted and needed the curse lifted. That was a given. However, Naruto wanted to know how he could help him in other ways. Sakura was helping him get around and eat. She was being his nurse. How could Naruto help him?

Maybe he could ease his stress in some way. That seemed like a good idea. However, every time Naruto tried talking to him, Neji would act bitter and say how he wasn't in the mood. Even when Sakura helped him he seemed more angry than grateful. There must have been another way.

They started traveling again. After a while, they stopped at another location in the forest and decided to make camp. Neji tried to help but he was doing more harm than good. The others advised him to stay back and not do anything while they handled it. That upset Neji more than anything and he unwillingly sat against a tree, scowling.

As night fell, the group settled down for the night in silence. Another day was wasted and they still had no plan. No one was in a good mood.

While his friends slept, Naruto sneaked over to Neji who was still propped against the tree. He studied Neji to see whether or not he was actually asleep. Convinced that he was, Naruto tried the only thing he could think of to help ease Neji's stress.

"Fox fire," he whispered and conjured up a small flame. He guided it over to Neji and hovered it over his head to manipulate his dreams. Though Naruto couldn't see what Neji was dreaming about, he had to twist and mold his dreams into something very pleasant. Assuming that Neji could still see in his dreams, Naruto set to work. He had to concentrate. It wasn't easy to alter Neji's dreams if he couldn't see them, but he had done it before.

Unsure of what Neji would consider to be pleasant in a dream, Naruto decided to feature things most people would find enjoyable. Since Neji often complained about battling with Rock Lee, Naruto decided not to feature him in the dream. Instead, he focused on Neji himself. Thinking he would like to be held in high honor, Naruto gave him a dream where he was a very important person. People showed him the utmost respect and treated him like a king. For a while Neji seemed content with this dream. Then Naruto decided to give him a dream he personally enjoyed having. He gave Neji a flying dream. Soon Neji was flying around the room. Then he went outside into the village and started flying over the villagers and buildings. The people below mostly ignored him but a few stopped to wave at him in a friendly way. Soon after, Neji was in the clouds having a blast.

Naruto stopped his fox fire to let Neji handle the dream from this point on. From the look on his face, he seemed to be enjoying it. At this point, this was all Naruto could do for him. He couldn't wait until they caught the fox and broke the curse. Then Neji would have a smile on his face again and be awake at the same time.

* * *

For two days the village was peaceful. The people were still unaware that the Hokage was missing for the most part but it was getting harder and harder to keep it a secret. Kakashi alone was having a hard time pretending that everything was fine. On the inside he was worried about the village and for his students. Naruto and Sakura were out there looking for the kitsune. They may have not been alone but Kakashi couldn't help but worry about them. Even he had fallen prey to the fox's magic and was manipulated into attacking his own students. Hearing Naruto and Sakura crying out for him to come to his senses and stop what he was doing still haunted him. It made him feel that he wasn't as strong as he thought.

After midnight he decided to turn in and get some rest. As long as Naruto and the others were hunting down the kitsune enemy the village would be safe. That was the belief but Kakashi was having doubts. He tried to put it out of his mind and relax. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

Right in the middle of a dream, his surroundings changed. He was alone amongst a swirl of clouds and mist. A somewhat familiar voice called out to him.

"Kakashi. Kakashi."

He turned around to see a fox watching him. One with two tails. This one didn't cause his heart to race with anger or resentment. He knew this one as a friend. "You're Seki. Right?"

The fox nodded.

"It's good to see you." Kakashi looked around. "Is this a dream or has an illusion been cast?"

"It's a dream," said Seki. "But I am using something we call dream walking. It allows me to enter your dream and see it. I can also use it to communicate with you using dream walking and dream manipulation. But I would rather not explain the details of it now."

"Then don't. If you're here it must be for a reason and if that's the case then it must be important."

"It is."

Kakashi came closer and sat down so he could be at eye level with the fox. "What is it?"

"This was the only was I could talk to you privately. I've been keeping an eye out for the enemy kitsune and so far your village is safe. Their scent has moved on."

"Naruto and some of his friends are chasing the enemy now so that could explain it." Kakashi frowned. "But that isn't a good thing, is it? You sound more concerned than pleased. Is it about Naruto and his friends? Are they in danger?"

"Naruto can handle it. His friends I'm worried about. But with him there with them they should be ok." Seki still looked troubled. "The fact that the enemy has left this village alone is what I'm worried about. Along with the fact that Naruto is no longer here."

Kakashi thought he understood. "You're concerned that with Naruto gone we would be easy targets because he's the one who could see through the illusions being cast. That has crossed my mind as well. Is that why you're still here?"

Seki nodded. "With Naruto gone, I feel I should look after his home. He would do the same for us. He's already done so much for me and the others. He's a good friend."

"Naruto is like that. He has to help. He's a passionate guy. If his friends are in trouble, he will fight to the death for them. That's just how he is."

"Yes, I know. That's why I'm worried," said Seki. "When the fire illusion was cast, I was wondering why. Most of the time kitsune wouldn't do it for a reason. Just for fun because it's a prank. But the enemy has reason. I don't think it was just a simple prank to get you guys worked up or a show of strength."

"Shikamaru thought it was to lure Naruto out of the village."

"I thought so, too. Then I wondered about it even more. You got possessed that night, didn't you? Maybe it was a distraction."

"A ninja would create a diversion like that. Apparently kitsune are similar in that respect," said Kakashi. "You think the fake fire was a distraction so the enemy could sneak in only to possess me? It seems like a waste to me."

"You are Naruto's teacher and leader, aren't you? These kitsune wouldn't be above using you to attack him, thinking he won't fight back against you. Plus it's a cruel thing to do and that's what they're all about. Torment two people who care about each other and make them fight to the death."

"Cruel alright." Kakashi sighed. "Everything is calm in the village for the most part. I've been starting to think it's the calm before the storm."

"It could very well be. Remember Naruto is not here to help you. That's why I'm here. But I'm only one fox. Naruto's only part fox."

"You have no idea..." Kakashi muttered. He cleared his throat and spoke to Seki again. "I heard that the enemy was after your mountain. I don't see why they would attack our village. Unless they are that vindictive and would attack you through Naruto and his home. I suppose the idea is to lure out as many of you as possible from the mountain to help him and that's when the enemy would swoop in and take it. That could be their plan."

"I thought so, too. But I keep thinking that in order to do that, they would have to attack this village. With Naruto gone, it's an open and easy target. They would have to hit you hard with him gone to spark us into doing something and so far that hasn't happened. I'm worried something else happened during that fake fire. Something that has nothing to do with possessing you or flaunting their power or pulling simple pranks."

"It would have been a good time to target the Hokage but that ship has sailed. With Naruto no longer here, there isn't anything really of value to the enemy. None come to mind at least."

"Just in case anything was going on, I decided to enter your dreams and talk to you. This way no one can listen in and I would be talking directly to you and no imposter."

"Well, thanks for the chat." Kakashi had to speak his mind. His gut was telling him something he could no longer ignore. "You should go to Naruto."

"What?" Seki looked surprised. "And leave the village? The enemy may want me to do just that."

"I have a feeling he needs you more than we do. Please go help him. With the two of you, you can stop the enemy." Kakashi pleaded Seki with his eyes. Even in his dreams, he still wore his trademark mask. "Please."

Seki sighed, thinking it over. Then he nodded. "Alright. I'll help him."

"Thank you."

"But please, Kakashi..." said Seki earnestly. "Please be careful."

"I'll do my best."

Seki stood and started to walk away. As he got further away, his body started to fade like the form of a spirit in the fog.

Kakashi opened his eyes and sat up in bed. He looked at his open window just in time to see two tails disappear and scamper off into the night.

Kakashi gave a soft chuckle and flopped back down on the mattress. "Even with security, a fox still managed to get in. I'm starting to lose faith in our abilities."

* * *

Naruto was restless the next morning. He decided to take a look around their camp to make sure it was secure. There were no signs of danger yet Naruto could not relax. When he came back he found that Sakura and Shikamaru were both missing. He sniffed around trying to catch their scent in the way the kitsune had taught him. Before he could do any tracking, Sakura had returned.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"I had to use the bathroom. Sorry if I didn't announce it," she said snidely. It wasn't meant to be insulting towards Naruto. She just didn't like having to announce when she was doing something private.

"Then where's Shikamaru?"

"Ahh!"

Everyone in camp got up looking in the direction of Shikamaru's scream. Even Neji, though he could not see anything. Shikamaru came running through camp and climbed up the nearest tree he could grab onto. A wild boar tore through their camp, no doubt chasing Shikamaru and now in need of a new target. Sakura jumped back as it came her way.

"What is it?" Neji demanded, as the only one who couldn't see what was happening or what was attacking. "What?!"

"A boar! A boar!"

Neji kept his head down, trying to listen for the boar's location but there were too many sounds interfering he couldn't pinpoint its location. He could hear Sakura's feet shuffling and Shino's in the grass, he could hear Naruto on his four legs and the boar on its four legs. Too many things were happening at once he couldn't tell where the boar was or which direction it was heading. He stayed perfectly still, trying to listen and move out of the way in case something came at him.

Shino got into a stance but did nothing. A moment later he looked at his hands only to be reminded that what he was trying to do was no longer possible. Out of sheer habit, Shino tried to contact his bugs to have them attack. That wasn't about to happen. So when the boar came his way, he had no other option but to jump out of the way and hide as Sakura was doing.

The boar ran from one place to the next snorting and kicking up dirt. It was on a rampage and wasn't going to stop. Naruto tried to stay out of its way but now a new feeling came over him. He no longer wanted to run. This thing was a threat. He turned to face the boar and snarled at it. Taking it as a challenge, the boar charged forward in an attack. Naruto jumped at the last second and attached himself to the boar's back, biting it. The boar bucked and snorted, throwing Naruto off. It tried to trample him from there but Naruto was too fast for it. They chased each other around the camp until finally Naruto hunted it down and sank his teeth into the boar's neck. He brought the boar down and finished it off.

Naruto stood up when all was quiet.

Sakura and Shino came out of hiding and Shikamaru climbed out of the tree. Neji looked in every direction, completely lost. "What happened?" he asked to anyone who would answer.

Naruto stood over the dead boar, wiping the blood from his human mouth. He wasn't a fox anymore. He looked from the boar to his quiet friends. "I got dinner," he said, mostly to ease the tension.

When his friends didn't say anything, he turned away, ashamed. He only did what felt right.

They hunted on missions when they were hungry and needed food. Sakura had to do the same. They all did. Clearly there was a difference between hunting with knives and hunting with teeth. Naruto must have been barbaric by comparison. Maybe they thought he was a monster.

"Thanks, Naruto."

Naruto turned back when he heard Shino praise him. Sakura nodded in agreement. Getting approval made Naruto feel much better and he smiled.

"Sorry about that," said Shikamaru. "I just went to find water and that boar came out of nowhere. I didn't know what to do, so I ran."

"Why did you lead it back to camp?" asked Neji.

Shikamaru looked ashamed. It was because of his curse. Shikamaru could not see the outcome of his actions. Because of that, he didn't know what would happen if he ran. He didn't know he would be leading it back to camp and thereby put his teammates in danger. Shikamaru felt like a completely moron. He was so humiliated. He turned away without a word.

"It's not your fault," Shino said. "It's your curse. Not you. Don't worry about it."

Shikamaru still felt it was.

Neji started to stand and felt around for a tree. He braced himself against it then tried to move to another one, moving very slowly.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked.

Neji flinched. "I was..." He cleared his throat. "You know."

Naruto tilted his head. "What?"

Neji sighed heavily. "I was going to use the bushes."

"Oh. Oh!" Naruto chuckled nervously. "Sorry."

Neji tried to continue with what he was doing. That's when Naruto stopped him again.

"Um, Neji?"

"What now?"

"You're heading in the direction of Shino's bag."

Neji froze. Since he couldn't see, he had no idea where he was heading. For all he knew he was going right in the middle of their camp. He had no clue.

"Need some help getting there?"

Neji grimaced. This was how helpless he had become. He couldn't even go to the bathroom without assistance. This was so embarrassing.

"Fine," he said through his teeth.

Both were uncomfortable with this but they had little choice. It was either help Neji of have him wander the woods alone and blind.

Naruto led Neji away from camp, keeping a firm grip on his arm. Neji felt around with his other hand, stumbling every now and then on roots and loose stones. Naruto knew if he offered to carry him that Neji would shoot him down.

Once they were far enough away, Neji dismissed Naruto.

"You sure you don't need any help?"

Neji grumbled. "I'm pretty sure I can take it from here, Naruto."

"Right, right. Sorry." Naruto started to wander away to give him some privacy. "Just shout if you need me."

Neji waited until Naruto's footsteps were gone, making sure he was alone. When he was finished, Neji started to turn back, trying to find his way back on his own. He didn't want to be helpless. He was determined to do things on his own. He heard footsteps and stopped. They weren't his. "Who's there? Naruto? Is that you?" The footsteps continued. Neji took a fighting stance out of sheer habit. Alone and blind in the woods with unknown footsteps following him... Neji was scared. It didn't happen often, but he was now. "Who's there?"

"It's me," came a familiar voice.

"Sakura? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me."

Neji reached for her. "Where..?" His fingered touched her hands. He could feel her even if he couldn't see her.

"I saw you and Naruto leave and then saw Naruto go. I was worried. I wondered if you needed help."

"I'm fine."

"Come on, Neji, you're blind. Please, let us help you."

Neji sighed. There was no way he could make it back on his own. He would be wandering the woods for hours, going in the wrong direction. He knew this. If he tried to do things on his own now, in this location under these circumstances, he would only cause more trouble. For himself and others. "Alright. Fine."

"Ok," came Sakura's voice. "I'll take you back to camp."

Neji felt Sakura's hand on his and felt her guide him in the direction of camp. One slow step at a time.

Meanwhile, Naruto was busy eating berries he found on a bush nearby. These were good to eat. He wondered if he should bring some back for his friends. He could carry a lot back in his pockets. He started sniffing around for other foods he could eat and maybe take back if he could.

His nose twitched. It was faint but he could smell the scent of a kitsune. This was Mikale's scent. It made his fur stand on end. Though it was faint, this was recent. This wasn't from the other day when they fought. That was a different area. This also couldn't have been left when Mikale traveled through this area. No, this was from today. He must have passed right through not too long ago. Just for a moment.

He had to get back and worn the others, but first he had to get Neji. Neji couldn't find his way back on his own so Naruto had to help him. Surely Neji was finished by now. He couldn't be too upset if he came back to fetch him down, especially if it was an emergency.

Naruto abandoned the berries to dash back for Neji. When he got there, Neji was gone. "Don't tell me he tried to get back on his own. And he calls me an idiot." He tried to pick up Neji's scent. It was easy to do. "He couldn't have gotten far." Naruto switched into his fox form and scurried off.

"It's taking a while, isn't it?" came Neji's voice.

Naruto stopped to listen.

"I'm going slow so you don't trip."

That was Sakura's voice. Naruto sniffed the air. Her scent was nowhere near here. He crept between the trees and over to where he heard the voices. He hid behind the tall grass and looked ahead.

Neji was walking with Sakura. That was Neji alright. Naruto's eyes, ears and nose confirmed it. Sakura, however, was different. Though that was her voice, she had no scent. Not only that but she was transparent. She was an illusion! Even if Neji could see, he would have been fooled. She would have appeared solid to his eyes, but not to Naruto's kitsune eyes.

"This way, Neji. Almost."

Neji felt around with his feet, trying not to trip on any fallen branches or stones. "I'm not going to trip on anything, am I?"

"No, I got you." Sakura steered him just a touch to his left. "There's a branch there, so be careful."

"Where?"

"It's just a step ahead from where you are now. Just take a big step and you'll be over it. I'll tell you when."

Naruto stood as tall as he could and saw where they were heading. Naruto gasped. The illusion was steering Neji toward a cliff. If he took that big step, he would topple right over the edge and he wouldn't be able to stop his fall. "Neji, no!" Naruto jumped over the grass and raced over to him. "Neji!"

Neji couldn't hear Naruto's voice. The kitsune was manipulating Neji's senses, allowing him to sense only what he wanted him to.

"Here. Big step right now, Neji."

Neji raised his leg and...

"Neji!" Naruto sprang and tackled Neji to the ground.

The illusion of Sakura vanished and Neji was free to experience reality again.

Neji landed just along the edge of the cliff. When he put out his hand to brace himself up, he discovered a sheer drop. Now he knew there was a cliff beside him and knew to move away from it. "Naruto?" He felt fur under his other hand. "Is that you?"

"Neji, it's me!" Naruto panted. "Yes! It's me."

"Where's Sakura? What happened to her?"

"She was never here!" Naruto looked around for Mikale but he must have run off.

"What do you mean she was never here? I felt her hand. I heard her voice."

"All an illusion," said Naruto. "It was Mikale. I caught his scent and came to find you. That's when I saw him using an illusion to trick you into walking off a cliff."

Neji was in shock. "But... it felt so real. I touched her... All a trick? An illusion?"

"You know how tricky they can be, Neji. Fooling the senses of a human is easy for a kistune to do." Naruto looked back into the woods. "We have to get back to the others. They're all alone. I hope Mikale isn't there right now."

Neji was beside himself with anger and fear. It all felt so real but it was all a trick. How could he fall for that? Kitsune power was very strong. It was frightening.

Neji felt himself being lifted up. He felt Naruto's jacket and his human hands. Neji began to struggle, part of him wondering if this was real and another part wondering what was happening. "What are you doing?"

"There's no time," said Naruto. He was pulling Neji onto his back, trying to give him a piggyback ride. "We have to get back to camp quick. If I lead you back like before, side by side with you walking slowly, we'll never get there fast enough."

"I'll pick up the pace."

"And have you trip or something? Just deal with this for now. It'll be quick." Naruto hoisted Neji up and started running back to camp. Neji grabbed Naruto tightly as they took off, feeling like he was about to fall. He couldn't see how fast they were going but it felt like they would be there quickly at this pace.

* * *

He was back. Mikale was back!

Naruto couldn't get back to camp fast enough. Who knew what sort of illusions his friends were suffering from? Mikale could force them to turn on each other, using illusions to think the other person was him and they would end up attacking each other.

Naruto flew between the trees so quickly Neji tightened his grip, feeling himself slipping. When the camp was in sight, Naruto lowered Neji to the ground and took the last remaining steps alone, expecting to see pandemonium.

The camp was fine. His friends were all ok and no one was injured. There were no illusions and Mikale's scent did not reach the camp. He wasn't here.

"What is it?" Neji asked, supporting himself against a tree.

"Everything's fine," Naruto called back.

"Of course we're fine," said Sakura. "Did something happen?"

"He's back," said Naruto breathlessly. "Mikale is back. I caught his scent and saw him using an illusion on Neji. He was trying to fool him into walking off a cliff."

"What?" Sakura gasped. "Is he ok?"

"He's fine. I got him."

"What about Mikale?"

Naruto shook his head. "Gone. I couldn't catch his scent and I never saw him."

"Oh, this is bad." Shikamaru sat against a tree. "This is bad. I thought he was too hurt to do anything. He came to us?"

"Kitsune take less time to heal," Naruto explained. "It's been a whole day at least."

"Well, go after him!"

"If I leave you guys alone, he could show up and use illusions and do some real damage! As long as I'm here, I can see through the illusions and help."

"Naruto has a point."

"There's something else," said Shino. "The fact that Mikale is up and about means that he's feeling better. However, since he's still keeping his distance, that tells me that his injuries have not yet healed. Not completely. He's still too weak."

"That might be why he didn't attack the camp. He just went after Neji because he was alone," said Sakura.

"He's trying to pick us off one by one because he can't handle doing it all at once." It started to make sense. Naruto could see Mikale's plan of attack. "Then we should go after him all at once since he knows he won't be able to take us all on."

"But Naruto, we still haven't come up with a plan."

"And we need one. This fox can fool us into believing things that aren't real and there's no way to tell the difference between illusion and reality," said Neji. "I could feel things that weren't there. Hear things. Even blind, he still managed to fool me. He's not to be taken lightly. How can we fight someone who's that good and immune to most jutsu with most of us handicaped by a curse?"

Naruto turned to Shikamaru. "We could really use one of your plans now."

"You don't think I know that?" Shikamaru shouted. "I want to help but I just can't. I've been trying to come up with something, anything that will help but I just can't do it! I hate this! I was selected for this mission because I'm the best at coming up with such plans, but now that's gone. It's up to you guys."

"Any plan I come up with involves us using jutsu," said Shino. "Even me. My plans involve my jutsu but I don't have that so I have to come up with something else. But anything else I come up with is doomed to fail for one reason or another. The real threat is those illusions. Fooling us so completely... We need Naruto with us. We can't be parted. But not parting could also be an issue. There are too many factors and too many problems. Our handicaps are a big one."

They hadn't come up with a decent plan in two days and Mikale was only going to get stronger. They were wasting time.

"We don't need a plan!" snapped Naruto. "We know what we have to do so let's do it!"

"But how, Naruto? How?" Neji demanded. "Without a plan, we're going to just rush in and hope for the best? We need a plan."

"Here's a plan. Attack!"

"How?" asked Shikamaru. "We can't use the usual method as we are now. Normally Shino would use his bugs but he can't do that. Neji needs his eyesight but he doesn't have that. And I-"

"It keeps coming back to that! I know you guys are in a bad way, but come on! It doesn't make you helpless."

"Close enough!" Shikamaru folded his arms. "How can we attack if what we use all the time, our strengths, are gone? How is Shino supposed to fight if he can't use his jutsu? How is Neji supposed to fight if he can't see? And if I can't come up with any plans or am able to see the outcome of major-"

"Adapt!" Naruto told him loudly. He turned to the rest of the group. "You need to adapt."

The group was quiet. Whether it was because they hadn't thought of such a thing or because they were thinking of a way to do what Naruto was asking was unclear to him. He continued, hoping they would get some ideas.

"When I became a kitsune the first time, I didn't have jutsu. I was worried about what would happen if I was attacked while I was changed. I couldn't do anything I normally could as a ninja. Everything I had trained myself in went away with the curse. Ryosuke offered to train me so I wouldn't be helpless. He thought it would help me and he was right. The night those assassin guys attacked, I became a fox and all my jutsu disappeared. I didn't know what to do. I felt helpless. But then I remembered my training with Ryosuke and the things he said to me. If I couldn't use ninja tools in my hands, I would use teeth and claws. No jutsu? Use fox fire. I had to adapt."

"But Naruto, we're not kitsune. The curses are different," said Sakura.

"It's the same thing. You guys need to find a way around it." Naruto pointed. "Neji can't see, but he has his other senses. Shikamaru can't think the way he used to, but his jutsu still works. And Shino might not have his bugs going for him, but he's still a pretty smart guy. We can do this. We just have to adapt."

Naruto was right. There were things they could still do. They were too busy wallowing in what they had lost to remember that.

"And when I was with the kitsune, I was reminded of something I already knew as a ninja," Naruto went on. "Teamwork. I'm sure if we all work together, we can do this. I know we can defeat Mikale. He's only one fox. And when we do, all his curses will be reversed. Everything will go back to normal."

If they worked together, handicaps and all, they may be able to do something.

"That's it," Shino muttered to himself. He lifted his head to address the group. "I think I got a good idea. This plan may just work."

* * *

Please review ^-^


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

Naruto couldn't leave their side as the only one among them who could see through the kitsune's illusions. That made tracking Mikale down even harder. Shino was correct about one thing, though. The fact that Mikale was keeping his distance and preferred to pick them off one by one meant that he was still weak. This was their time to attack. If they did so all at once there was little hope for the injured fox.

Come the afternoon, Naruto caught Mikale's scent and knew where to find him. This was the only time Naruto was going to leave their side. It was all a part of their plan to take Mikale down.

Crouching behind a bush, Naruto waited for his chance to pounce. His eyes were focused straight ahead, ready to spot even the slightest movement. When he saw a patch of grass move separate from the rest he knew it was time. This was his target. He sprang out for an attack.

Mikale turned and saw Naruto right behind him. His wounds were still healing. Naruto could see the cuts on his body slowly mending. The bleeding had stopped but the pain was without a doubt still with him. If they waited any longer, Mikale would be completely healed and back up to his full strength.

"Still want a fight, one-tail?" Mikale asked him with a snarl. "Alone, are you? As I expected. Your friends are in no condition to help you fight now. They've been weakened."

"If you don't think they're a threat anymore, then why are you still trying to get rid of them?"

Mikale scoffed. "Why not?"

Naruto curled his lips, showing his fangs to his enemy. "I'll make sure you never hurt my friends again!" He sprang and bit Mikale on the neck.

Now that Naruto made the first move, Mikale was willing to engage Naruto but to return the attack in spades. They rolled over each other, biting and scratching. Naruto could feel that Mikale was weaker. There was a slight pause between strikes, as if he had to push through an intense pain. Mikale's body was warning him not to fight. He wasn't ready. Determined, Mikale ignored the pain as best he could and drew blood from Naruto's shoulder, missing his neck.

Kicking his hind legs, Naruto managed to get his paws under Mikale and threw him off. Naruto changed back into a human and used his Shadow Clones to hold Mikale down. He drew a kunai from his bag, ready to put a stop to Mikale.

Inside Naruto wasn't sure if he could take the life of a kitsune. A part of him felt like he was murdering a human, an equal. Why he felt like this he wasn't sure. There was always a part of him that didn't want to kill his opponent, even in the heat of battle. The merciful part of him. Another part of him knew it had to be done and that this was the only way he could help his friends. This would lift all their curses and return everything to normal. He had to kill Mikale. If he didn't, he would just keep coming back. Mikale was too dangerous to keep locked up in a cage somewhere. With his fox tricks, he could easily find a way out. Mikale had to be killed. There was no other way. Even if he showed Mikale mercy, he was never going to remove the curses from all those people. Even if Naruto begged him. Mikale would not be convinced. It was amusing to him. The fact that Mikale found hurting and cursing people fun really got Naruto's blood boiling.

Too much.

His clones all popped and the real Naruto had a fox tail again. He was feeling too much again. Having strong emotions brought out the fox part of him which had everything ninja about him disappear. He couldn't maintain the jutsu as a fox. Any part of him that became fox broke his connection to his ninja arts.

"Damn it!" Naruto tried to calm himself down but when he saw Mikale get up and run away, Naruto was angry all over again. "I can't let myself feel conflicted or angry or scared or anything. Not too much. I'll lose my jutsu again."

Mikale was quick on his paws. Naruto couldn't keep up with his human legs. After a few steps, Naruto changed back into a fox and chased after him on all fours. Just as he was catching up, Mikale scrambled up a tree and jumped from branch to branch, escaping from above. He hopped from tree to tree, then back down on the ground.

When Mikale looked back, Naruto was too far behind to be considered a threat. "Ha! Still no match for me."

"Hyah!"

Mikale felt something jab him in the ribs. The unexpected jab and the pain that soon followed had him standing still for a moment, trying to figure out what happened. Then the pain came again on his muzzle. "Ow!"

"There you are!" Neji started jabbing his fingers into Mikale's body over and over again. Lucky for Mikale, a little less than half of those jabs were misses. Mikale scrambled away, but just when he thought he was safe, Neji turned his body in his direction and attacked again.

Mikale knew this was the ninja he had cursed. He couldn't see. Believing Neji only found him because of the noise he was making, Mikale thought he could get away from Neji to a safe place by running through the trees. Being blind, Neji wouldn't be able to pursue him in the forest. Neji would be tripping over everything in his path. Thinking he had a fool-proof plan, Mikale ran off deeper into the forest.

When he looked back, he was amazed to see Neji following him. Not only that, but he was moving at a swift pace. Mikale watched Neji, expecting him to trip. There was a log in front of him so surely that would do the trick. Shockingly, Neji jumped right over the log, as if he knew it would be there.

"No way!" Mikale was speechless. How could Neji do that? Mikale looked at Neji's eyes. They were still closed. Neji couldn't see at all, yet he moved around as if he could. How could this happen? Neji couldn't have possibly memorized the location of every single hazard in the forest, knowing exactly where each and every tree, rock and stump stood. "How is he..?"

Neji turned his body in his direction and started throwing one fist after another at the fox. Mikale conjured an illusion, making the air in front of Neji feel as if it were fox fur. Mikale intended to fool Neji into thinking he was still attacking Mikale even though he would have sneaked off. Since Neji could not see, there was no point in making him see an illusion. Fooling his sense of touch was good enough.

However, Neji passed right through the illusions and took perfect aim directly at Mikale's true body. Neji's fingers jabbed Mikale in the gut and he fell. Mikale knew he was in danger if he stayed on the ground. He quickly got to his feet, despite the pain, and ran up a tree.

"How the hell is he doing that?" Mikale gasped for breath. That blow to the gut knocked the wind out of him for a moment. "He's not guessing. He knows where I am."

Even now, Neji was standing below the tree, looking up at him. Neji's eyes remained closed, yet he acted as if he could see him perfectly. It was baffling.

To fool him, Mikale caused a noise to the left of Neji while he escaped from the right in absolute silence. If Neji was going based on hearing, he would go to his left, following the noise.

Astonishingly, Neji wasn't fooled. He turned to his right and attacked the fox again with perfect aim. Mikale just barely got away before another blow could hit him.

"How?!" Mikale panted as he ran. "How is he doing that?! How can he see me?"

Neji pursued. He ran after Mikale, never tripping over any of the rocks under his feet or logs or fallen branches or anything else in his path. It was as if he knew. He may as well have been flying over the forest floor. He never stumbled once. For a blind person, this was astounding.

The trees started to thin out, giving Neji more room to run and less hiding places for Mikale. Mikale looked back to see if Neji was still following him. He was and he was not alone. Shikamaru was running alongside him, in perfect sync. In fact, too perfect. Their steps were perfectly matched. When Neji jumped, so did Shikamaru. It was like watching images in a mirror.

Mikale faced forward again to keep from running into anything. He didn't notice the shadow linking the two ninja together on the forest floor.

"Shikamaru?" Neji called.

"Still here, Neji."

"I know that since I'm still moving," he said. Since Neji could not see, the plan was for Shikamaru to do the seeing for him. Since Shikamaru could not think of any plans himself, he would act as Neji's eyes and his body. Using his jutsu, he would navigate Neji's body, pointing him in the right direction so he could attack the fox. Since Mikale's illusions were focused on Neji and no one else, Neji could ignore them, relying on Shikamaru to attack where he needed to. Also, since Mikale was using illusions that didn't effect sight, Shikamaru wasn't fooled. He couldn't feel when Neji was tricked into feeling, and since he still had his sight, even when Mikale tried to trick Neji's hearing, Shikamaru could still see the real fox and where it was going. "Where is it now?"

"Ahead of you. We'll keep our distance for now. Shino said to keep our distance."

"Actually he told you to do that."

"Same thing."

Mikale passed another tree. From that tree came another kitsine. Naruto landed on Mikale's back and started biting him again. "Get off me!"

"Remove the curses!"

"Never!"

Neji frowned. "Is that Naruto's voice?"

Shikamaru stopped running and so did Neji, still linked together by a shadow. "Yeah. They're fighting."

"Mikale and Naruto? Who's winning?"

"Uh... I can't tell. They keep moving."

"Shouldn't we help?"

Shikamaru frowned. "Uh... Uh..."

"Right, right. Shino said to stick to the plan. Since you can't see outcomes and can't formulate plans, it would be dangerous to have you go rushing in to help, even with the best of intentions. Never mind. Forget I asked."

Again, Shikamaru felt uselss because of his curse. However, linking him and Neji together was a good idea on Shino's part. Their jutsu were still working and this way Shikamaru could still be of valuable help.

Mikale threw Naruto off and jumped on top of him. Naruto pushed against Mikale's chest, his snapping jaws dangerously close to his neck.

Sakura watched from behind the same tree as Shino. "Shouldn't we help? We have to do something."

"No, Sakura," he told her. "Let Naruto handle it."

"But he's in trouble. Mikale is-"

"If we go rushing in, we could end up trapped in another illusion. Neji's already weakened Mikale a little further. And if you go in to help, Mikale can curse you. You're the only one who hasn't been cursed yet and I'd like to keep in that way."

Sakura didn't like it. They were leaving Naruto on his own to fight Mikale. Even injured, Mikale was stronger than Naruto, being a two-tails. She hated to think of the worst-case scenario, but if Naruto wasn't powerful enough...

"You damn fox!" Naruto threw Mikale off. "I'm not going to let you hurt my friends ever again!"

"Don't make promises you can't keep!"

Naruto crouched down, hissing. Mikale hissed back and the two collided. Fangs and claws were everywhere. They were both raised on their hind legs, their paws pressing into each other's upper bodies. Snout met snout as they bit each other on the nose and jaw, making snorting and yelping sounds with each contact. Naruto shoved Mikale to the ground and Naruto pounced. Mikale rolled out of the way and grabbed Naruto by his tail, pulling him back with his teeth. Naruto kicked him in the face.

"I think Naruto's doing just fine, if you ask me," commented Shino.

Sakura couldn't help but worry about her teammate but seeing Naruto battle as if they were on equal ground made her feel more confident. She knew he could do it. "Come on, Naruto," she whispered. "You can do it."

Naruto threw Mikale down. Mikale lay on the ground, bleeding. Naruto stood over him, panting heavily. He was winning. In his condition, Mikale wasn't ready to fight. Naruto's instinct was telling him to go in for the kill. His heart told him to help his friends. He had to keep them safe. He had to remove their curses. As a fox, he had to eliminate the threat. Naruto opened his mouth wide and moved in.

"Naruto, please don't!"

Naruto stopped. Sakura was looking back at him from on the ground. She was bleeding and looked terrified.

"Please don't hurt me anymore!" she cried hysterically.

Naruto was frozen.

Sakura gasped from behind the tree. "That dirty fox!"

Mikale had transformed himself into Sakura to get exactly that reaction from Naruto. Naruto would never hurt his friend. Unknown to Mikale, Naruto had already injured Sakura once before when the Nine-Tails started to take over. He didn't mean to and it still effected him to this day.

That was why Naruto couldn't move. Everything had shut down. Even if he knew it was a kitsune trick, his reaction was automatic. It was enough to leave him frozen and trembling.

The fake Sakura gave him a wicked foxy grin and slammed him into a tree. Mikale changed back into his fox self and laughed. "That was too easy." He pressed his paws against Naruto's windpipe, choking him. "This is what happens when you make friends with humans. They'll only drag you down. One way or another, they'll get you killed."

"Naruto!" Sakura came running out from her hiding spot to help. She couldn't stay hidden anymore. She had to help. "Naru-"

Something grabbed her around the neck. Human hands were strangling her.

"Just let him handle it," came Shino's voice. "If he dies, that's fine. Maybe he deserves it."

Sakura tried to pull Shino's hand off her throat but he was too strong. The harder she fought, the tighter his grip.

"We have to stay hidden or the fox will get us, too. If I have to choke you to keep us all safe, I will."

"Sakura!" Shino started to come out of his hiding place to help her. He saw a clone of himself strangling Sakura. It wasn't really him but to Sakura it was all too real. Even he couldn't distinguish the imposter from reality. He had to help, but if he came out then he could end up in an illusion, too. Even if that wasn't a possibility, how would he dispel the illusion? What could he do?

"Sa-" Naruto couldn't even call out her name. Mikale pressed even harder, cutting off Naruto's remaining air.

"This is perfect," Mikale chuckled wickedly. "Once I finish you off, I get to kill the other humans at my leisure. I thought about keeping you alive to watch, but you're more of a pain than I thought you would be."

Naruto pushed against Mikale but he wasn't budging. His head was throbbing and his vision was starting to blur.

Mikale moved in close. "I can't wait to see the look on your female friend's face when she sees your dead body. Maybe I'll tear out her throat once she's finished screaming. Or maybe I should do it before so she can't even call your name as you die."

Naruto felt Mikale's breath on his face, blowing his fur back. Mikale opened his mouth to bite.

"Unh!"

Mikale's paws left Naruto's throat. Naruto doubled over, coughing. Air returned to his lungs and he could breathe again.

"Get- No! No! Wait!"

Naruto turned around. Mikale sounded like he was in danger. Had his friends come to help even though the plan was for them to stay back so they wouldn't get caught up in an illusion?

Neji could hear different sounds but culdn't place them all. He had no idea what was happening. "Shikamaru, what's going on? Is Naruto ok? What's going on with the enemy?"

"Uh..."

"What?"

"There are... two foxes."

"One's Naruto and the other is Mikale."

"No, no," said Shikamaru. "Two two-tails."

"Two of them? So there are three foxes in total?"

Naruto watched silently.

Shino disappeared and Sakura could breathe again. It was all an illusion. She looked around for Naruto hoping he was still alive. She saw him just a little further from where she stood, watching something. She turned her head to see for herself.

There were two foxes, both with two tails, in the dirt. One was Mikale and he was pinned down. The other had Mikale in his jaws.

"Seki..."

The fox dropped Mikale on the ground. He was still alive, but he was badly wounded. Seki panted, a look of rage on his face. "That was despicable, even for you," he said. "Transforming into a friend to make him hesitate? Teasing his heart? Then attacking his friends when they try to help? No..."

Mikale started to get up, shaking.

"Everything you've done is one worse thing after another. Just stop."

Mikale hung his head. "Alright. Alright, just... Just please spare my life." Mikale lowered his ears, keeping his head low in an apologetic manner. He acted like he was sorry. Even his voice was quiet and sad. Maybe the threat on his life was enough to scare him into giving up. Maybe having another fox here, outnumbering him, made him see that he would die if he continued. "Please."

Seki nodded. "Remove the curses and leave Naruto and everyone alone. All humans are off limits."

"Yes, yes. Fine."

Seki nodded again. Then he turned his head to look at Naruto. "Are you al-"

"Watch out!"

Mikale pounced as soon as Seki's back was turned and went right for his neck. Naruto shoved Seki out of the way, taking the hit himself. Mikale's jaws closed around Naruto's throat.

Sakura shrieked.

Seki couldn't pull Mikale off without taking Naruto's throat with him. He had to pry his jaws open first. Seki lifted himself up and started to change his front paws into human hands. As a two-tails, he could transform himself into a human if he so desired. In this case, it was necessary. With one hand on each jaw, Seki pried Mikale's mouth open and threw him down. Mikale was already on his feet and racing up a tree. He saw Naruto below and jumped from branch to branch, knowing Seki wouldn't leave his injured friend's side.

As Mikale jumped from his current branch, something sprang up from another tree. In midair, Seki and Mikale met, but it was Seki would moved first. "Curse!"

Mikale's face froze with fear as his body was afflicted by the kitsune's curse. His body was transfigured into a glass statue and fell. His fragile body smashed on impact with the ground. From this high up, there was no way he would survive as a piece of glass. Mikale was shattered and never coming back.

Neji opened his eyes. He blinked a few times to adjust to the afternoon light. Things were blurry at first but then he saw trees and sky. "I can see." Neji looked around, taking it all in. "I can see! I can see again!" It was like being lost in the dark for days and finally finding his way out. Neji was so happy and relieved.

Shikamaru was smiling, too. "It's me again! I'm back!" Shikamaru jumped for joy. "I can think clearly again! I feel like myself again! It's all there! Everything is back! I can think! Yes!"

Shino could hear a familiar buzzing sound coming from his sleeves. He welcomed his bugs out into the open air with a smile. He felt whole again. He just didn't feel like himself without his bugs. They were a part of him. When they were gone, he felt like a piece of his soul was gone, too. Now he felt complete. He felt like himself again.

"Sakura!" Shikamaru called. "Our curses have been lifted. We're back to..."

Shikamaru stopped. Neji and Shino gathered around. Naruto was bleeding from his throat and Sakura was trying desperately to stop the bleeding. She tried to use her jutsu to help heal him but it wasn't working. Naruto was in his kitsune form. Jutsu wouldn't work on him, not even medical jutsu.

"Naruto," Shikamaru called. "Naruto, change back into a human. Hurry so Sakura can heal you."

Naruto shifted back into a human and Sakura set to work mending his injuries. His neck was first. Even if he was a fast healer, the injury itself was pretty bad. He wouldn't be able to heal fast enough.

Everyone stood silently over Naruto, waiting. Even Seki was willing to stand among the humans to make sure Naruto was safe. After a few minutes, Naruto was able to speak to them. He smiled and gave them a thumbs-up.

"You are very lucky, Naruto," Sakura told him, now mending his other injuries. "That one fang just barely missed your jugular. Just a centimeter more that way and you would have bled out. Another fang just grazed your artery. Just! Thank God it wasn't punctured. A couple of his teeth hit a vein or two but I managed to stop the bleeding and your natural healing ability is taking care of the rest. Your body's already on the mend so you'll live."

"Thanks, Sakura. And leave it to you to lecture me while saving my life at the same time."

Sakura was tempted to give him a good smack but resisted so she could work on healing his other injuries.

"Our curses have all been reversed," said Shikamaru. "Which means those under other curses must have returned to normal as well."

"Lady Hinata and Lady Tsunade..." Neji murmured. "They'll returned as well."

"Indeed," said Shino. "Kiba as well. Along with Akamaru."

Naruto grinned. "Then we've won. That's something to celebrate." Naruto pulled away from Sakura. "I'm fine, you can stop now."

"If you're sure..."

"Naruto."

Naruto looked down at Seki. "Yeah?"

Seki gave him a tender smile. "Thank you for saving my life." If Naruto hadn't pushed him out of the way, Mikale would have killed Seki while his back was turned.

"You saved mine," Naruto answered. "Back when he was choking me. Thanks for that. And thanks for helping my friends."

"You have done the same for my friends. I would do the same for yours."

Naruto smiled. "By the way," Naruto said suddenly, "how did you know where to find us? I thought you were still watching the Leaf Village."

"I was. Kakashi told me to come find you. He said you would need me. That one fox wasn't enough."

"Kakashi-sensei did?" Naruto wasn't hurt knowing that Kakashi sent for back-up. He was very grateful and happy to know Kakashi cared that much about him and his friends to send for help just in case they needed it. It wasn't that Kakashi thought Naruto wasn't strong enough to do it on his own. He just wanted to make sure the people he cared about were safe. He really did love them. Even far away, he was still looking after them.

"Thank you, Seki," Sakura told him. "Couldn't have done it without you."

"And it's good to see you," said Shino. The last time they spoke, Seki was hiding in Kakashi's body. Shino had yet to see Seki in his true form. "What will you do now?"

"Now?" Seki asked, baffled.

"You came to assist us because Kakashi told you to. Now that Mikale is gone, what will you do?"

Seki looked down. He looked troubled. Naruto wondered if it was because Seki had taken the life of a fellow fox. A part of him, however, thought it was something deeper than that.

"No," he said. "There are still things I have to do."

"Alright." Shino didn't press him any further.

"I'm happy that your curses are lifted and that Naruto is alright." Seki turned to Naruto. "Naruto, I must go, but we will meet again. There is just something I have to take care of first. Look to your pack. Make sure your village is safe."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know yet." Seki nuzzled Naruto farewell. "Until our paths cross."

Naruto was confused. Seki had to leave for some unknown reason but he meant to see Naruto again. Crossing paths? Why would he word it like that? Did he expect Naruto to keep traveling? He must have, otherwise he would have said he would meet Naruto again in the Leaf Village.

"Bye for now, Naruto. Good to see you." Seki quickly turned and ran into the forest. Soon, not even Neji could see where he went.

"Well," Shino broke the silence. "We should head back to the Village."

"Right." Neji started to head in that direction. "I have to check on Lady Hinata. Who knows what that fox put her through?"

"I'll send by bugs back to the place we last saw Kiba. Hopefully he and Akamaru are doing alright. I'll have to give them the good news if they haven't already figured it out."

The group started to walk back to the Leaf Village. Naruto hesitated. He remained where he was, staring after Seki who had been gone for several minutes.

"Coming?" Sakura asked him. When Naruto didn't move, she walked back, thinking he was injured and couldn't walk. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah..." Naruto stood up. "Just thinking."

"About what? Seki? He's fine. Don't worry about him. Everything's ok now."

Naruto had an uneasy feeling he couldn't shake. "Then why do I feel like it's not?"

"Oh, I think I know," she said with a slight grin. "It's because Seki left before he could remove your curse. You're still part kitsune."

"Yeah, he didn't change Naruto back," said Shikamaru. "You think he forgot?"

"No." Naruto shook his head. His gut was never wrong. Now even his instincts were backing him up on this. "He didn't change me back on purpose. He didn't forget."

"Then why?"

"Because I still need to be a kitsune."

* * *

This isn't over. Not by a long shot.

Please review! ^-^ Thanks!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

When they returned to the village, everything appeared normal. Since the fox was now dead, security didn't need to be as tight as it was. Now people were allowed to come in and out of the village as they normally did. There was no longer a ban on travels. Kiba and Akamaru returned to the village with the rest of the group unharmed. Kiba told everyone how he was cursed by the fox, almost bragging about it. At first, he was brave about it, taking it in stride, then he started to embellish and go on and on about the horrors he had to endure. At this point it was obvious that he just wanted the attention.

"So were you a rock or what?" asked Sakura. "When we looked, we couldn't find you anywhere. We didn't know what you had been turned into."

"I don't know either," Kiba admitted. "All I know is I couldn't move and I couldn't really see anything. Well, I could. It's hard to describe. But it was awful."

"Quit milking it, Kiba," Shino told him. "After hearing about it for the past twenty minutes, one tends to lose all sympathy. It gets annoying."

"Hey, you weren't cursed."

"As a matter of fact I was but you wouldn't know they because I haven't bragged about it unlike a certain person. Not that I could with you going on and on the way that you have."

Sakura looked around for Naruto. Even when they arrived back at the village, Naruto refused to come in. Even after he was told that there was no longer a ban on entering or leaving the village, he would not come. Instead, he traveled around the village, following the wall that kept his home secure. Sakura tried to persuade him to come inside but he wouldn't no matter how much she begged.

"He still hasn't come in yet?" Shino asked, noticing Sakura looking around again.

"No, and I'm really starting to get worried. With the kitsune gone, the village should be safe. Naruto's just being stubborn."

"He's not the only one," said Kiba. "Shikamaru left two hours ago and hasn't returned. Said he wanted some time to think and left."

"Left? You mean he actually left the village?"

Kiba shrugged. "That's where I saw him heading. Don't know what he's doing."

"I hope he's going out there to talk some sense into Naruto. I'm starting to wonder if he's becoming more fox than man at this point." Sakura glanced over her shoulder again, hoping to see Naruto behind her. "Is he actually more comfortable out there than in here, in his own village? Does he actually prefer the woods instead of a building?"

"He was concerned about his fox friend Seki," said Shino. "Maybe he's debating whether or not to go look for him."

Unable to take it anymore, Sakura left the group. "I'm going to go find him and talk some sense into that idiot."

"Good luck with that."

* * *

Naruto found himself walking along the village wall countless times. This uneasy feeling wouldn't leave him. He didn't feel like hunting, he didn't feel like eating, and he couldn't rest. He felt he had to keep moving. He didn't know what was driving him but the feeling would not subside. His walk was slow and occasionally took him away from the wall and into the woods. He felt so restless. Even the peaceful woods couldn't put him at ease.

When he took in a deep breath, he could smell someone familiar nearby. He followed the scent over to a tree a little further into the woods. Shikamaru was sitting against the tree pulling blades of grass from the ground with his fingers. Naruto approached cautiously and sat down beside him. He could see the road from where Shikamaru sat. He must have walked down that path and taken a turn, sitting down where he was now. The question was why he was here in the first place? Why would he leave the village and sit near the road like this? If he was looking for a quiet place to think, the park was decently peaceful and big.

"Uh..." Naruto wanted to ask his. "Shikamaru? Um..."

"Why am I sitting out here alone?"

"Y- yeah."

"Why are you?"

Naruto lowered his head. "I don't know. I just can't shake this feeling. I feel so uneasy."

"So do I."

"You do? Why?"

Shikamaru sighed. "It's the kitsune's plan. It doesn't make sense to me. Ever since I got my mind back, I've been thinking about it."

Naruto shifted into a fox and sat beside Shikamaru, listening.

"The curses he placed on us made sense. He wanted to hinder us and he did. I also understand why he didn't attack us after cursing us. He was too injured. The way he cursed us, while making sense, made me wonder why he didn't simply turn us into objects. I concluded that it was because he was in a panic. Either that or he wanted to see us suffer before finishing us off. Seki himself said the enemy was cruel and enjoyed tormenting humans."

"Then what's the problem?" Naruto asked.

"The problem is the other things he was doing. Like the fire illusions. Why would he do that? What was the point? Just to show off his power and scare us? So now we knew what we were up against? I thought that at first. Then when Kakashi got possessed, I wondered if the fire was a cover-up all to get to him. He was going to use Kakashi to hurt you because Kakashi was someone you trusted and looked up to. It would have been a cruel thing to do to force Kakashi to kill you. Pure torment for you and Kakashi once he realized what happened. He didn't try it again after that. So then I was thinking that the fire wasn't to get to Kakashi. It was building up to a point. The fire was the first step. Kakashi was the second. All to get you upset. Upset enough to leave the village. I thought the point of the other incidents were to get you riled up enough to leave the village where we would be vulnerable. Since you have kitsune powers, you can see through the illusions and we can't. So with you gone, we wouldn't stand a chance."

Naruto nodded. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I thought so, too. So what's the problem?"

"The problem is that it makes no sense. You and Seki explained that the enemy was after the mountain your friends have and that attacking us was to try to lure them out of the mountain so the enemy kitsune could take over. It was all a trap. But why continue? It wasn't just about the mountain anymore. It was like Mikale wanted the Leaf to suffer. All because you're friends with the good ones? That's very vindictive. And killing you? Why? To put you in enough danger that the good kitsune would come running? But without them here to witness it, why bother to make the threat? He really wanted to kill you. But why? Either he's that cruel, or to make the kitsune regret not coming to help. Mikale would show them your dead body and make them feel so bad that..."

Naruto put his head in Shikamaru's lap. "Is that what's bothering you? That I would have died just to make Ryosuke and the other kitsune feel so bad for not all coming here to help me and that Mikale would keep messing with humans for kicks?"

"What's bothering me is that his plan makes no strategic sense. Some parts make sense but as a whole, it seems rather pointless. If all those things were true, then Mikale just wanted you dead to make Ryosuke and the others feel bad for not coming to help you. But that wouldn't make them leave the mountain. If you're already gone, what would be the point? It's not like they'll be so sad they'll leave now that you're gone. Unless they feel like punishing themselves by leaving the mountain, regretting that they couldn't help you. The fire illusions, just to get Kakashi? Or to show off? It doesn't really make sense. If the goal is the mountain, then why focus on the Leaf Village? Just to lure them out? And possibly killing us? Why? Ryosuke and the kitsune don't know us. What would be the point? It would upset you, but what if you're already dead? Then why, other than to be evil? There are so many issues I have with this I can't count them all. It goes against battle logic. If a human being were trying to-"

"That's a human complaint," Naruto interrupted. "Those are problems for a human."

Shikamaru looked down at Naruto. "Huh?"

"That's what Ryosuke told me when he was teaching me how to hunt. To hunt as a fox." Naruto sat up, still in fox form. "When I was trying to catch mice, I was using my paws and the mice kept slipping away. I complained that as a human it was a lot easier to catch mice. As a fox, it was so difficult. I couldn't grab them. That's when Ryosuke told me that those were problems for a human. A human would try to catch mice with their hands or tools. But a fox would use its teeth. I had to adapt. I said that before, remember? Hunting with them was the same. I had to change my way of thinking. That was my problem. I was still thinking like a human. While I was a fox, I had to think like a fox. The way a human would do things is different from how a fox would."

Naruto shifted back into his human form.

"Maybe that's why you're having trouble with this. You're still thinking like a human. That's why it doesn't make sense to you."

Shikamaru began to understand. "I see. That's why I can't figure them out. Foxes think differently from humans and I'm trying to figure them out based on what a human would do." Shikamaru smiled and patted Naruto on the shoulder. "Thanks. That helped."

Seeing Shikamaru in a more cheery mood helped put Naruto at ease. He smiled back and wagged his tail. "Sure thing."

Shikamaru stood up to return to the village. "You coming?"

"Not yet," he said. "I'm still a little restless. I'll catch up."

* * *

To keep himself from getting too stressed, Naruto tried to play-hunt in the woods. He wouldn't catch anything, just enjoy the chase. Without realizing it, he had wondered further away from the village than he wanted to. He could no longer see it. Catching his breath, Naruto shifted back into human form and wandered back to the road, deciding to take a stroll back instead of racing through the trees. It was a very peaceful walk with only birdsong to keep him company.

He could faintly hear his name being called. That was Sakura's voice. He called back and the two quickly met up.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you. Shikamaru said he ran into you and you said you were going for a walk in the woods or something."

"Sorry about that," Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "I didn't mean to wander this far. I just wanted to clear my head."

"Have you?" Sakura sounded impatient. "Are you all done with this?"

Naruto frowned. "All done? What's that supposed to mean? You think I'm a bratty kid throwing a tantrum or something?"

"I didn't say that."

"But..?"

"But you are acting ridiculous. Come back to the village, your home."

Naruto frowned again. "You think I don't know that?"

"Then why won't you come back? Why are you out here?"

"Because I'm restless and have some things I need to work out."

"And you can't do that back at the village?"

"I don't know!" Naruto's fangs and ears popped out. Feeling this, Naruto turned away, trying to hide them. "Sorry. I just..." He sighed. "I just have a bad feeling. That's all."

"Mikale is gone," Sakura said gently. "If this is about Seki and how he was acting..."

"No. Yes. It's a little of that. But it's more." Naruto turned back, fully human again. "I just can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen. Like how you can sense rain before it comes."

Sakura moved forward and gave Naruto a gentle hug. It was quick and not very tender. Sakura was trying to get Naruto's mind off this feeling and comfort him at the same time. She didn't want to reward his behavior so she didn't make the hug last long.

"Come back to the Leaf and we'll sort it all out, ok?" Sakura gave his arm a tug. "Please?"

Naruto nodded but his heart wasn't in it. Something kept telling him not to relax. Not to return to the Leaf. In his heart, in his gut, he knew something was wrong. A part of him felt that if he were out here long enough, he would find the source of his uneasy feeling and find a way to end it. Naruto just wasn't ready to return home yet.

Before they could take another step, Sai appeared from an ink bird which vanished as soon as he landed beside them. "Naruto, Sakura. Good thing I found you."

"Sai, what are you doing here?"

"I was asked to give you an important message."

"What is it?"

Sai, though his face was calm, his eyes looked troubled. "The Hokage has yet to return. Same thing with Hinata."

Sakura was stunned. "They're not back yet? It's been a whole day. They should have appeared by now with their curses broken. Unless the fox took them away somewhere."

"No one knows what they were transformed into. You think someone else moved them?" Sai asked.

"I don't know. It's possible."

"A lot of people are very worried and upset. Even Neji is upset. He's started searching the village for Hinata and says he won't rest until he finds her."

"Poor Neji..."

"Yes, he's really fired up. Lee says he is more so." Sai grinned, though it was not the best time for it.

Fire... The night of the fake fire would have been a good time to go in and take the cursed objects out with everyone else distracted. However, when Naruto fought Mikale, he did not have any objects with him. As a fox, the only place he could put it was in his mouth, but Mikale was speaking just fine and he even using his teeth to bite. Mikale did not have any objects with him.

Naruto frowned, thinking back. Something was wrong with that night. When kitsune used illusion, they needed to concentrate. Even a two-tails would have to focus on what they were casting. He was running around. His illusions would have faded away. The other troubling thing was that the whole village was effected. When Naruto helped the kitsune cast illusions in the mountain on the hunters, it took nearly all of them to send the humans into another reality. Though they were only one-tails, it took seven or eight of them to transform the forest into a paradise. One kitsune casting an illusion on a whole village; two-tails or not, he couldn't do it without help.

Come to think of it, Seki did mention that there were...

"Uh-oh!" Naruto gasped.

"What?" Sakura and Sai looked at him.

"Seki told me that they were threatened by enemy kitsune and that _they_ were coming to my village. There's more than one!"

"You mean there's two foxes running lose near the village?!" Sakura cried.

"No wonder I've been feeling so uneasy. That must be why Hinata and Granny haven't changed back yet. Mikale wasn't the one who cursed them. We have to find the other fox."

"There's an accomplice," said Sai. "I see. I'll have to report that when I get back to the village. We were going to dispatch a search party to look for the Hokage. Knowing this will be a big help. Naruto, you may have to come with us because of your fox magic. Better yet, we may have to come up with a new plan now that we know there is another kitsune out there."

"I should go after the kitsune alone!" Naruto cried. "I don't want to risk you guys getting cursed again. The fact that this kitsune cursed Granny and Hinata means that he's also a two-tails. I don't want you guys in danger."

"We're ninja, Naruto," Sai told him. "Comes with the job."

"This is different!"

"I don't see how. We're in danger on every mission."

"You could die!"

"Every mission."

"It's different!"

"Why? Because we're up against foxes instead of people? If that's the only difference-"

"Don't you get it?!" Naruto screamed, his tail and ears out again. His fangs and claws were next to show and he even donned a foxy snout to go with the look. Naruto was really upset. His fox features were responding to his stress and anger. He was worried about his friends. "Let me handle this! I don't want anything to happen to you!"

Sai didn't flinch at Naruto's transformation. "It's our job. We've been in danger before. You don't have to protect us. We can handle ourselves."

"But you can't fight a kitsune!" Naruto yelled. "I can because of the kitsune powers that were given to me. Seki wanted me to fight these guys! I'm the only one who can!"

"He wanted to protect you and give you an edge," Sakura told him. "Please, let us help you. Even in the battle with Mikale, you still needed us to back you up. Stop talking like we'll only tie you down."

Naruto wanted to scream some more. He wanted to yell and bite and push her down. When Naruto realized these feelings, he started to get worried. Was he becoming a monster? Was the Nine-Tails coming out? No, it wasn't him. It was the kitsune in him, not the beast. A fox settled things with his claws. In most cases, the one who was right was the one who was stronger. If he pushed Sakura down, then it meant he was stronger and could have the final say. That was why he was having those feelings. Aside from that, even humans resorted to violence when they were upset.

Naruto forced himself to calm down and his fox features went away.

Sakura extended a hand to him. "Come on. Let's go back to the Leaf and sort this out there. We'll do it together. You and your friends."

Him and his friends. As a human, he stood with the ninja of the Leaf. As a kitsune, he stood with the foxes in the mountain. Whenever challenges they faced, they faced them together. They were all involved. Naruto knew this. Inside, as much as he wanted to keep them safe, he wanted to fight alongside them and not alone.

He nodded. "Ok." Naruto took in a deep breath. "Ok. We'll go back to the village and figure it out together."

"That's what I'm saying. Thanks, Naruto."

Naruto's nose twitched. "I still have an uneasy feeling. I don't feel safe going back to the village. Even here in the woods. I feel like something really bad is going to happen."

"Something bad has already happened. You're about to meet me."

The trio looked between the trees and saw a figure coming towards them. It was a young man, a few years younger than Kakashi. He was thin and pale, even his hair. He was barefoot expect for the bandages wrapped around the soles of his feet up past his ankles. His clothing was torn in places and held in place by a sash tied around his waist. In fact, there were more cloths wrapped loosely around his body and arms, defying gravity. They looked like extra arms made of thick purple and gold thread. The hard uneven earth posed no issue for this man as he walked slowly from around the tree, stepping on one of the long cloths dragging underfoot.

"Who are you?" Sakura demanded.

"Me? Oh, I'm a problem for you Leaf ninja. That's for sure." He chuckled in an almost cackling way. He seemed to be enjoying himself. Despite being outnumbered and seemingly malnourished, the man was unafraid of the three staring back at him demanding answers.

"Give us your name!" Sakura demanded again. "What are you doing here and what do you want?"

"Feisty girl." The cloth man chuckled again. "I would ask you to mind your attitude but I find it rather refreshing. I suppose one your, ahem, size would have to compensate somehow. If you catch my drift."

Sakura clenched her teeth,

"Oh! I get it." Sai snapped his fingers. "He was referring to Sakura being flat-"

"Shut up!" Sakura punched Sai in the face and sent into into a tree. Then she turned to the cloth man. "You're next!"

Even after seeing Sakura send Sai flying, the cloth man did not look the least bit intimidated. He looked rather amused. He was even smiling at her.

Naruto's hair was standing on end. Something was wrong with this man. He looked only a couple years older than they were and yet Naruto felt as if he was in the presence of a great and powerful sage. No, far more terrifying. Naruto felt threatened. Something in him was telling him to avoid engaging this man in any way shape or form. He had to get out of there as fast as he could. His animal instincts were screaming at him to run.

When the cloth man looked his way, a shiver ran up Naruto's spin and he began to tremble. When the man smirked, Naruto could no longer ignore what his instincts were telling him.

"We have to get out of here," Naruto whimpered.

Sakura and Sai were already getting into fighting positions. Sai was taking out his weapon and Sakura was warming up her fists.

"Guys, we have to go," Naruto's voice shook.

"What? Why?" Sakura asked him. "This guy is-"

"We have to run! Now!" Naruto pulled on her arm, panicked. "We have to get the hell out of here now!"

Sakura gave him a concerned look. She couldn't understand why Naruto was so freaked out but it had her worried.

"Sai, let's go!" Naruto grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away.

The two stumbled behind him, pulled by Naruto's grip. He wouldn't let go of them until they started running on their own. "What's wrong, Naruto?"

"I don't know!" he called back. "It's my animal instincts. They're telling me to run away! There's something about that guy. I don't feel right. Everything in me is telling me to run! He's dangerous! Bad news! We have to get away!"

"A fight or flight response?" Sai wondered aloud.

"Is he really that dangerous?" Sakura asked. "You're a kitsune and a ninja. You don't think you're a match for this guy?"

"I don't know! All I know is that my body wants me to run so I'm listening!"

"Running won't help!" the man's voice called from behind. "You can't avoid me forever!"

"If this man is so dangerous, then we should capture him and find out who he is," said Sai.

"No!" Naruto jumped over a fallen branch. "Avoid this guy! Don't go near him!" Something in him was telling him this. He had to avoid this man and he had to keep his friends safe.

"Get back here, Leaf ninja!"

Sai looked over his shoulder and saw one of the cloths stretch like elastic and zoom towards them. When he looked at the man he saw him performing a hand sign. He was a ninja as well! The extending cloth was heading straight for Naruto. "Naruto, move!"

Naruto looked back and saw the cloth. Sai moved directly behind Naruto with his blade, ready to cut. The cloth avoided his weapon and wrapped around Sai's torso. One arm was pinned and the other still held the blade.

"Sai!" Naruto reached for him. Sai dropped his weapon to reach for Naruto's hand. Their fingers touched briefly before he was yanked away and over to the enemy. "Sai! Sai!"

Naruto and Sakura stopped in their tracks to watch. They had to help him. Sakura hurried back. Naruto tried to suppress this fearful feeling and followed her, his desire to help his friend just as strong as his animal instincts.

"Ah," the cloth man said, smiling up at Sai held tightly by his fabric. "You'll do fine. So your name is Sai, is it?"

Sai struggled against the cloth which was squeezing him like a snake. He pushed against it with his free arm and kicked his legs. "Let me go!" He punched the cloth and pulled. No matter what he did, it held him firmly in place.

"Struggle all you like, there's no escape from that." The man started to make another hand sign. "Same way there's no use fighting against my Loyalty Jutsu."

"Let me go! Put me down!" Sai continued to struggle and twist and pull and push.

Looking slightly annoyed, the cloth man turned to him. "Stop your struggling and listen up!"

Sai stopped.

"That's better. Now from this moment on, you will be loyal to me and do as I say. Got it?"

Sai twisted around to look at the man. He looked at him for a while, as if wondering how he should respond. Then Sai casually rested his arm against the cloth binding him and said, "Alright."

"Alright?" Sakura was stunned. "Is that what he said?"

The cloth tentacle lowered Sai to the ground. "Good to hear." The cloth man pointed. "See those two ninja standing there?"

"Naruto and Sakura?"

"Yes, them." The man smirked. "Attack them."

Sai looked from his teammates to the cloth man. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He looked lost and confused. Then he said, "Yes, sir."

"What?!"

Sai took out a new weapon and charged. When he was close enough, he started swinging.

"Sai, what are you doing?!" Sakura blocked with her kunai.

Naruto took out his own kunai to defend himself. "It's us! Your friends!"

"I know that," said Sai. He looked very upset. He looked like he was being forced to do something he didn't want to. "But he ordered me to do it!" Sai cried as he swung. "I can't... I can't disobey him!"

The feeling was back. The feeling to run and not look back. Naruto looked from Sai to the man standing behind him with a smirk. Unable to resist for one more second, Naruto gave in to his instincts. He quickly grabbed Sakura and pulled her away.

"Wait! Naruto! Sai is-"

Naruto carried her as far away as he could.

"I'm sorry, Sai," he whispered. They had to leave him behind.

Sai stopped the attack and did not go after them. He wasn't ordered to.

"Well done, Sai," said the man.

Sai looked down, ashamed. He had just attacked his friends and teammates. He didn't want to. At least they got away safely.

"Come, Sai," said the man. "We have work to do."

Sai hung his head and followed. "Yes, sir."

* * *

D:

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	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

The forest was quiet. Not even birds were singing. The quiet felt like a silent scolding to Sai. He followed the cloth man at a short distance. He was leading Sai further into the woods to an unknown location. All the while he said nothing and neither did Sai. He looked over his shoulder every now and again. Not to see if his friends were coming back for him, but rather to see if he was as alone as he felt. He knew in his heart that Naruto would not abandon him. However, the silence made him feel as if all life in the woods was shunning him.

"Um... Sir?"

"Yes, Sai?" said the man. "You may speak your mind."

Sai looked at the ground. "Well... It's just that..." He swallowed. "When you told me to attack Naruto and Sakura, I did."

"Yes," the man said happily. "You did very well."

"But the thing is, I don't feel comfortable attacking my friends. Seems wrong to me." Sai looked at the man, his eyes almost pleading. "I don't want to attack my comrades. Naruto and Sakura are my friends. I don't feel right attacking them."

"Ah." The cloth man used one of his fabric tentacles to move a fallen branch out of his way. "Yes, I understand. But you needn't worry. That feeling will soon come to pass. You won't feel that way soon."

Sai was puzzled. "Sir?"

The man turned now facing Sai instead of the path ahead. "Oh, it's my jutsu. It's been ages since I last used it. How I've missed it." He closed his eyes with a smile, visiting a fond memory. Then he opened his eyes again to look at Sai. "Since it's been a while since I last used it, I suppose it takes time to warm up a bit. You know how it is when you haven't used something for a long time. Tends to get weak and stiff. Once I start using it again, it'll be back up to full strength again. No worries."

"But, sir... Um, my friends..."

"Oh, that. Right, right." The man chuckled lightly. "Like I said, the feeling will soon pass once the jutsu takes full effect on you. Like I said, it's a little rusty since I haven't used it for a while."

Sai knew he was hit with some sort of jutsu but what was it and how did it work?

As if reading his thoughts, the man answered his questions. "My Loyalty Jutsu..." He paused for a moment to chuckle softly, relishing his own ability. "It severs bonds."

"Bonds?"

"Yes," he said. "It allows me to sever the bonds of anyone I afflict with it. That way they're only loyal to me and listen to what I saw with no conflict. That's the problem with people. You can't serve two masters. If one tells you to do something and the other tells you something that contradicts the first order, there's issue. It also poses a problem if the first master asked you to kill the second. You remain the servant of both so how could you do that? You cannot kill your master. This jutsu takes care of that. You'll only serve one master and that will be me. And to ensure that my orders do not conflict with any personal ties you may possess, the jutsu severs all bonds. Soon your friends will mean nothing to you. You'll only know them as a face and a name. There will be no other connection. So if I were to order you to kill them, you won't mind. There will be no conflict. It's perfect."

Sai stared at the man in disbelief. That was his fate? He would be fine killing his friends because he'll no longer feel anything towards them? He wouldn't care?

"So don't fret," the man told him. "Once the jutsu takes full effect, you won't mind me ordering you to kill them if I so choose."

"Kill who?" Sai asked.

"Naruto and Sakura."

"Oh! Right. Yeah, I didn't feel right about attacking them before..." Sai frowned in bewilderment. "Wait. Why did I have a problem with it again?"

The cloth man smirked. It seemed the jutsu was taking full effect. "Come, Sai. We still have much to do."

"Yes, sir." Sai, no longer finding issue or feeling remorse, followed the man obediently down the natural path through the woods.

* * *

It was a while before either one of them could speak. Both were so stunned by what just happened that they were in a bit of shock. Sakura was the one who spoke first. Slowly and quietly.

"Sai... he just... That guy ordered him and he... he did it."

Naruto didn't appear to be listening. He kept looking around and panting. He looked like a trapped animal looking for a place to escape.

"Sai did what that guy told him to do. Sai knew what he was doing. He told us that he couldn't disobey. It must be a jutsu, Naruto. I don't know what kind but I'm really worried about Sai. What's going to happen to him? How long will the jutsu last? What will the guy do to him when he's finished? You don't think he'll hurt Sai, do you?"

Naruto sniffed around. Though in human form, Naruto was on all fours, checking every inch of the tree he was perched under. He did the same to the next tree and the next.

"Naruto!"

"What?!" he snapped, causing Sakura to flinch. "I heard you, ok? I am listening. I just have to make sure we're safe!"

After running away, they didn't stop running until a flock of birds fled as they came racing through their dining area under a circle of trees. Sakura knew they must have been near the village but she didn't know where. The main gate was back on the road, not in the forest where they currently were. If they wanted to get back to the village, they would have to get back on the main road.

"We have to go back to the village and warn everyone about this guy. We have a new enemy, Naruto. We have to get reinforcements to help us out. We can't do this alone. We need help."

"So the people who come to help us out can get hit by that jutsu, too?"

"We can't do this on our own!"

"Then I'll do it! I'm part kitsune now so jutsu won't work on me."

"But Shikamaru discovered that some jutsu can effect kitsune. Not many but some."

"Yeah, but I don't think this jutsu is one of them."

"Neither do I. But..." Sakura didn't know what to say. She had to convince Naruto to return to the village but he had a point about the danger in getting people to help them battle this new enemy and rescue Sai. She was worried, too. "Naruto... We..."

"Have to go back. I know." Naruto crouched on the ground, his posture very similar to that of a canine. "But I still think as the only one who can't be effected by his jutsu that I stand a chance and should be the one to go after him. But at the same time I know I can't."

"Because you need strength in numbers?"

"Because of me being a kitsune." Naruto hung his head in sadness. "Back there, when we first saw the guy and you and Sai were getting ready to fight, my animal self told me to run. I could sense how dangerous this guy was. I couldn't fight. I ran. I got you guys and ran away. I'm worried that if I go back there and help you guys fight that I'll just want to run away again."

"But you came back for Sai. You didn't leave him. Not until he started attacking."

"Even when I went back, I still had the urge to run. I sensed danger. I felt something. Something humans don't usually..." Naruto didn't finish. There was nothing to say.

"Listen, Naruto." Sakura came over and put her arm around his shoulders. "We have to go back to the village. We'll go home and tell the others what's happened. We'll warn them about the jutsu so everyone will take precautions. We'll stop this guy and rescue Sai and everything will be ok."

At this point, Naruto was so numb he would blindly do anything she told him to. He didn't know what to do. He felt lost and confused. He had to help Sai but there was so much danger in doing so. They had a new enemy and could only guess what his jutsu could do to people and how it worked. There was a second kitsune on the loose and the Hokage was still missing so the village was vulnerable. Not to mention the battle that was raging inside of him. Human or kitsune. Human and fox. Normal and strange. Different and same. Feelings and instincts. It was overwhelming. Sometimes he didn't know who he was anymore. Was doing one thing something a kitsune would do or what a human would do? Both felt natural but which one was right? Which was human and which was fox?

Naruto blindly followed Sakura back to the village mulling it all over in his mind. Sometimes his tail would pop out and sometimes his ears. They would appear and disappear as he thought it over. No matter how much he tried to sort it out, he felt just as confused.

Once they arrived on the main road, Naruto grew distracted but for another reason. Sakura could feel him pulling on her arm as he stopped to look behind him. She would tug back or ask what was bothering him. He didn't answer. This time when he stopped, Sakura couldn't get him to move from that spot. His fox ears were out and rotating.

"What is it?"

Naruto rotated his head slowly, scanning the area with his eyes in silence. His head stopped for a moment then continued to move then stop again.

"What?" she whispered.

"Something's not right. I feel like we're being watched. Someone's nearby. I can feel it."

"We are near the village. I can see the gate from here. See? Look." Sakura pointed to the gate off in the distance. "Just a little further and we'll be home."

Naruto started pulling on her arm like a dog on a leash. He wouldn't stop pulling and each tug was getting more frantic. "We have to get off the road. Please, Sakura. We have to get out of here."

For some time now, Sakura had been concerned about Naruto's curse. Not just for the seal but for what came with it. Even Naruto had complained about his animal instincts. So much so that she wanted to dismiss most of them. Naruto complained how some of his actions were brought on by his animal instincts and there was no true reason for it other than it felt good. Like chasing animals and digging in dirt. They weren't important so Sakura felt it was best to ignore them. She often told Naruto to suppress such desires because they weren't normal. He was a human, not a fox, therefore he shouldn't act like one. Not only because it was weird, but because she worried about the beast dwelling within him. Acting too much like a fox could draw the beast out.

"Sakura, let's go. Let's get out of here."

Sakura pulled back. "Home is right there. You agreed that we should go back and we are. Don't give up now."

"I don't feel right about this."

Thinking Naruto was listening to the animal side of himself who desired to keep distant from humans and their dwellings, Sakura thought it was best that he ignore this and keep going. She had to force him to go back to the village. It was for his own good. He may become feral if he didn't. Being around humans was the best thing for him. She had to keep reminding him that he was a human and not a fox, no matter what felt right to him.

"Naruto, no. We're going home. Right now!"

Naruto pulled against her grip. "Sakura, something's not right."

"It's all in your head. Now come on."

Naruto's tail started swishing. "Sakura, please!"

Was he this afraid of being around humans? Was he forgetting himself?

"Naruto, come on!" She would drag him back if that was what it took.

Sakura pulled in one direction and Naruto in the other. Finally, Naruto managed to pull his hand free and got down on all fours, growling. Sakura backed off, thinking he was growling at her. He was showing his teeth.

"Naruto..." Sakura was very worried now. Was he becoming more animal than human? "Naruto, you know I'm your friend, right? I'm trying to help you. We-"

Naruto stood on two legs and bolted toward her. Sakura flinched, thinking he was going to attack. Instead, he ran beside her and started growling at the trees. He wasn't going for her. There was something in the tree. The danger was there. She saw a glint and jumped aside as a kunai came at her head.

Naruto was right. There was danger! Sakura took out her kunai and got into position. Maybe it was Sai again. That weapon came from a ninja, not a fox.

Three ninja jumped down from the trees and landed on the road in front of them. Naruto growled, his ears pinned back.

Sakura knew these ninja as members of the Hidden Leaf. Two of them were on regular guard duty at the main gate. "Why are you attacking us?" she asked. Were they fooled by fox fire or was this something else?

"We will not let you pass."

"Why not?" she asked.

"We were ordered not to."

"Ordered?" Could it be..?

One of the ninja pointed at Naruto. "Him first."

"Yes. He was cursed."

"I heard that, too. So he's part kitsune now, right?"

"We had such a problem with that other one, Naruto will also be a problem if we don't do something now."

"But Naruto isn't a threat," Sakura told them. "In fact, we came back to tell you that-"

"Rah!" Naruto barked at the ninja. "You didn't have a problem before. There's something wrong with you. Who ordered you to do this?"

"None of your business."

Naruto snarled. His eyes went from one ninja to the other. Three in total. The road took them one of two ways. On the left was the village. On the right, who knew? That path opened up into many others. The whole world lay beyond. Behind him was the forest. In front, the ninja. They each had weapons. He knew their tricks. Even with Sakura, they were outnumbered. These ninja were also Jonin. Above their level.

Considering his options, Naruto knew the best way to approach this. Attacking with weapons was pointless. A number of things could happen. He didn't want to fight. That left only one option.

"Fox fire!"

The ninja jumped back as Naruto conjured up a wall of fire. He quickly grabbed Sakura and pulled her back into the woods. When she started to ask what he was thinking, he covered her mouth and took her deeper into the woods.

He could hear the men coming from behind. That illusion was temporary. He knew that. He pulled Sakura behind a tree and held her close to his chest.

"Naruto, what are you..?"

"Shh!" Naruto covered her mouth again. "Fox fire." He wrapped the glowing flame around their bodies, concealing them.

The ninja came running by, checking behind every tree. When they looked at the one Naruto and Sakura were under, to their eyes, there was only a rock and some flowers. Fooled by the illusion, they left, searching in another direction.

Once they were gone, Naruto dispelled the illusion and released Sakura. "I think that cloth guy got to them, too. They're acting funny."

"Sai did mention that they were organizing a search team to look for Lady Tsunade. They might have been a part of that group."

Naruto sniffed the air. "We're still close to the village. If we go back on the road, they'll find us again. But they could also find us here in the woods since they're still searching for us." Naruto sniffed the air again. "I have a bad feeling about going back to the village. I sense danger in that direction."

"You don't think that cloth guy got to other people in the village, do you?" That was a worrisome thought. What if the village was being attacked by that man as they spoke? There may have been others like the ones who confronted them.

Naruto started growling again. He got down on all fours and hissed, staring in the direction of the village.

Sakura clutched her kunai, expecting the worst.

"Fang Over Fang!"

Naruto jumped out of the way and into a tree. Sakura jumped back and took cover behind other tree.

"Come out, come out!" Kiba hollered into the tree. "I know you're up there, Naruto! Akamaru can smell you!"

Naruto stuck his head between the branches and hissed.

"Ah, come on! You still acting like a dumb old fox? Weak!" Kiba snickered and cracked his knuckles. "I guess it's up to us to put you down for good! Nothing personal. Just orders. Are you ready, Akamaru?"

"Orders?" Sakura whispered to herself. "He sounds just like the three ninja on the road. There's no coincidence."

"Of course there isn't."

Sakura spun around and saw Shino standing behind the same tree as her.

"As usual, no one seems to notice my presence."

Sakura got some distance between them before asking him, "Are you the same as Kiba now? What happened to you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know we're your friends, right? Shino, do you know who we are?"

"Of course I do. I'm not a fool. You're Sakura and up in that tree is Naruto and below them are Kiba and Akamaru, my teammates. I have all my faculties."

"Then why are you attacking us? We're your friends, aren't we?"

Shino lifted his left arm. "I know who you are, and I know we have a history. Going on missions together, going to the same school. I know that. I haven't forgotten. I simply don't care." Bugs started to creep out of his sleeves.

"Don't you care that you're fighting us? Why are you doing this?"

"Because I was ordered to. It's nothing personal." The bugs started to form a giant mass over Shino's head, growing bigger by the second. "'Friends' is just a word to me. What weight does it carry? I know who you are. I simply don't care. What would I feel by hurting you? Nothing. You are simply a target to me."

Shino was never this emotionally distant. He used to care. Even if they fought each other while training, Shino, like Sakura, would express concern for his friends if they were injured. He wasn't heartless. Even if he was asked to apprehend someone he knew, he still expressed his feelings in some way. He wouldn't want to but he had to do as he was told. Even after his mission was finished, he would still feel something. He would feel sad or have regret. This Shino was different. Though he clearly knew who they were, he simply didn't care. It was as if something had been severed within him. Something important connecting him to people he knew.

There was a loud crash as a tree fell, brought down by Kiba's rampage. He and Naruto were going at it like a couple of dogs. Naruto was trying to use jutsu but his clones wouldn't last long since his fox features kept coming out during the fight. He had no choice but to use his fox magic.

"Don't get distracted," Shino told Sakura. "Let's not forget you are fighting me." Shino unleashed his bugs. "I hate being ignored."

Sakura ran from the bugs, having no desire to fight them. She swatted at them and threw her kunai at Shino who dodged easily. Sakura ran through Naruto's fight with Kiba, hoping to lose them. As the bugs passed by, Kiba stopped, temporarily blinded by the swarm an inch from his nose. When his vision was clear, Naruto was gone.

"Ow!" Shino hopped on one foot, Naruto biting the other in fox form.

"Hey!" Kiba yelled. "You're fighting me! Get back here!"

"Fox fire!" Naruto tried to confuse them with his illusions. It worked. Kiba and Shino were aiming at things that weren't there. Akamaru hung back. It seemed he knew something was wrong with his human partner but wasn't sure what to do. He had obeyed thus far but his heart wasn't in it. Naruto himself noticed that Kiba was doing most of the fighting while Akamaru hung back. He glanced in Naruto's direction and motioned for him to leave while his master was distracted. He didn't wish to fight and knew it was wrong for Kiba to do. Everything about this fight was wrong. Even Akamaru could sense that. He must have not had the jutsu placed on him. Naruto quickly ran to Sakura and pulled her away.

"Naru-"

"We have to get out of here."

"But the village..."

"Forget about the village for now." Naruto looked at the walls of him home, just barely visible between the branches of the trees. "If Kiba and Shino are like this..."

They were in the village. It stood to reason that if they were under the influence of the jutsu, that many if not everyone in the village was also effected by it.

Right now the Leaf Village wasn't a safe home they could return to. It was enemy territory.

"Naruto..." Sakura bit her lip. "We have to go."

He nodded once and pulled her away from the village. They ran deeper into the woods and far away from their home.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

The Leaf Village was no longer safe. They could not return. They could not get reinforcements. The ninja of the Hidden Leaf were now enemies. It was such a terrible feeling but it was reality. This was what Naruto and Sakura had to face.

Sakura checked her belongings for the second time. Now that they could no longer return to the village, they had to make do with whatever they had on their person. Sakura only left the village to bring Naruto back. Not to go on an adventure. She was not prepared for this. She still had her ninja tools and some medical supplies. As for Naruto, he didn't have anything other than his ninja tools. Both had left their bags behind and with them their water bottles and food. Going on like this would be difficult, but they had little choice.

Neither of them knew what to do. For now, they just had to distance themselves from the village and their former friends. A plan would come later.

"Look." Sakura pointed to a small rest stop by the side of the road. This was a main road with plenty of travelers so this shop saw a lot of business. "At least we can get some food in us. We can go from there."

Feeling numb again, Naruto followed her without a word.

As soon as they approached, the open door slammed shut and locked in their faces. The sign flipped over in the window to read 'closed' and the curtain was pulled across the glass.

"That was weird."

Naruto started to wander away.

"Where are you going?"

"Don't know."

They wandered for some time until arriving at a civilian village. Feeling hopeful, Sakura urged Naruto to enter with her. The village looked very welcoming and they could pick up some supplies for the road.

As soon as they entered, the villagers grew cold and hateful. Several glared and some started to arm themselves with rakes and shovels.

"What's going on?" Sakura wondered aloud.

A rock came at her head, thrown by a small boy. "Get lost! We don't want you here!"

"Wha..?" Sakura manged to avoid the rock but another one was already in the boy's hand.

Naruto was just as confused as she was. Why were these people acting so hostile?

"Leave our village alone, scum!" yelled a man holding a shovel.

Naruto started to back away. "They think we're enemies."

"Why would they think that?" Sakura asked. Then she addressed the villagers. "We're not trying to invade or hurt anyone. We were just passing through."

"Then pass!" another man yelled. "We don't want any ninja scum pestering us. Leave before this gets ugly!"

Naruto pulled on Sakura's arm. "Let's go."

They needed supplies but asking these villagers for help would be pointless. Asking for assistance might start a fight.

"We told you to leave! Why are you still here? Is there going to be a problem?"

"Forget words! Let's get them out of here by force! Who's with me?"

"Yeah!"

Naruto and Sakura broke into a run as a mob of angry villagers started to chase them down the street. The ninja were run out of town before they could even ask what was wrong. They ran back into the woods and kept going.

Naruto eased out of his run and into a walk, looking back at the village. "That was weird. Why were they so pissed off? What did we do?"

"Oh, no," Sakura moaned. A horrible thought just entered her mind. "They obviously have a problem with ninja, not us personally. What if our friends passed through here and did something to the village? Now the villagers are going to associate any Leaf ninja as a threat."

"Why would they do that?"

"That guy's jutsu must have done it. He might have ordered them to attack the village or something." Sakura put her hands on her hips. "That guy doesn't want us to have a friend in the world. If not ninja then the people nearby. How cruel. He wants to make sure we're alone."

"So he used our friends to make enemies throughout the land? That way, because they're ninja doing it, the people will assume all ninja are like them?"

"More specifically, Leaf ninja."

Naruto gritted his teeth and started to snarl. All he could see in his mind were images of that cloth man smirking and ordering their friends to attack innocent people, all the while unable to disobey an order. He could see his friends storming into villages and attacking the innocent, setting fire to homes and chasing the children. "That cloth bastard!" Naruto snarled fervently. "I'll kill him! Doing this to our friends..!"

"We'll stop him, Naruto. We just have to figure out how." Sakura looked around. "Traveling will be difficult now. I don't know how many villages they've gotten to so far, but I think everyone in this area is at risk of already being targeted. We have to be careful."

Naruto was still seething with rage.

Sakura reached up with both hands. Naruto stopped and stared, thinking she was trying to pet him or give him a hug. What she was doing was removing his headband. She undid the knot behind his head and slipped it off. She did the same with her own.

"What are you..?"

Sakura tucked the headbands safely into her supply bag. "It's too dangerous to go around wearing these right now. We can't look like ninja. As long as people don't think we're from the Leaf, we should be safe."

Naruto frowned, touching the top of his head. He felt incomplete without his headband. It was important to him. He was a ninja and proud of it. When he was little, all he ever wanted was to wear the headband baring the symbol of his home. It was like a badge of honor. When people saw it, they knew they were in good hands. They were going to be helped. Now it was a symbol of danger and a great shame. Wearing it would spark nothing but hatred from people they passed by.

"And Naruto."

"Yeah?"

"Lose the tail."

Naruto looked behind him. "Sorry. I can't always help it."

* * *

The cloth man sat in the coils of his fabric, playfully flicking stones at branches and squirrels. The cloths he wore obeyed his every comment, bending and twisting to whatever he desired. If he wanted a place to sit, they would fold into a comfortable chair for him or into a hammock. He even used them as an extra set of legs for when he needed to travel but had no desire to walk.

He stretched out on the cloth under his body and tossed another stone. "You there," he called. "What's your name?"

"Choji."

"You seem like someone versatile in cuisine. Gather something good for me to eat."

"I have some chips in my bag. I have lightly salted and barbeque."

"Preferably something that isn't processed. Got any fruit?"

"I can get some."

"See that you do." The man snapped his fingers. "Sai!"

Sai jumped down from a tree, landing in a bow. "Yes, sir?"

"Do you have anything I can eat at this moment?"

Sai held up a bag of cherries and nuts. "I have these."

"Good enough. Bring it to me."

Sai approached and knelt beside him, holding out his arms to present the cloth man with the bag. Sai became a human table. The man would dip his hand into the bag to eat while Sai held it in place for his convenience.

In the middle of chewing, there was a crunch and the man spat something into his palm. "Sai, what is this?"

Sai glanced up. "I believe it's a cherry pit, sir."

"Did you check if there were any before serving this to me?"

"No, sir. I did not."

The cloth man threw the pit in Sai's face. "Hmph. I nearly broke my tooth."

Sai bowed his head. "Please forgive me, sir. I did not mean to."

"It's fine," the man sighed. "Just be more careful next time."

"I will, sir." Sai remained in a bow, silently reprimanding himself for not making sure the food was safe to eat. This man was a great leader and a powerful man. He did not want to displease him. Sai would do better next time and impress his leader. He wanted to prove himself useful and be a good servant.

"And you," the man called. "Your name again, please. It's something 'maru', correct?"

"Shikamaru, sir."

"Ah, yes. That's right. Fetch me some water. Make sure it's clean."

"Of course." Shikamaru went off to do his job.

The cloth man stretched out on the fabric again, relaxing. "We have time to relax before moving to the next step. Now that nearly all of the village is at my command, there is little to worry about." He tucked his arms under his head for support. "Even if two got away, it's of little concern to me. The Leaf has fallen to me. I can torment them at my leisure."

Before eating the last of the nuts in the bag, the cloth man reached down to pat Sai on the head for a job well done. He made a good table.

"You may get up now, Sai. Do as you like until I call you." Then he hollered, "Where is Choji with my food?"

* * *

Coming to another village, Sakura, tired and in need of water, decided that they could no longer avoid it. They had to enter. Seeing Naruto again with fox ears and a tail, she had to figure out a solution to yet another problem. Not only did they have to hide the fact that they were from the Leaf, they also had to hide Naruto's fox features.

Taking a cloak off a clothes line, Sakura covered Naruto up.

"I don't get why I have to hide and you don't."

"Because you can't always control when you become a fox. Your ears keep popping out and people will see them."

"So?"

Sakura pulled the hood over Naruto's head. "So some people might freak out when they see that. Not everyone is as tolerant we are in the village. We're used to seeing strange stuff, but normal, non-ninja people? They might get scared or something."

"I can hide it. And I don't think people will freak out as much as you think."

"Just do it."

Naruto sighed and followed her into the village.

This village was small. Naruto only counted twelve houses. Now that he considered it, this may not have been a village at all. There were no stores, only a single pub. Naruto didn't know where this was or what to expect.

With no other place to turn, Sakura pulled Naruto inside the pub. It smelled like wet wood and smoke. There were few people inside, all of them men. None of them looked up as they entered and sat at the bar. The man behind the counter didn't turn them away.

"Two waters, please," Sakura sat, forcing Naruto into his seat.

"Coming up."

Naruto sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling. He didn't like it in here. It wasn't a pleasant smell. He also didn't care for the loud laughter coming from the tables behind him. He kept looking over his shoulder whenever it got too loud for him to ignore, which was every few minutes.

"Eyes front." Sakura pushed Naruto's glass closer and told him to drink.

Naruto took a few sips but didn't feel any better. The water was warm but that wasn't the issue. He kept thinking about the horrors his friends had to endure under the enemy's command. Was he torturing them? Was he forcing them to attack each other? How many villages did they visit? Was there anything he could do to save them?

The men behind him were getting loud again. It was very annoying. Naruto was getting annoyed with them for several reasons. One was his disdain for how they could be happy when people were suffering. A part of him didn't want these men to be happy if he wasn't. He was angry that they didn't understand how serious things were.

"Just ignore them, Naruto," Sakura whispered.

"I'm trying." Naruto tried to take another drink to calm himself. The water wasn't helping. He was still upset.

What would happen if they ran into Sai again? There would be another fight for sure. The real prize was the man who did this to him. Naruto had to beat him. Maybe defeating him would break the jutsu. How would he beat him, though? If he and Sakura tried together, the enemy might use their friends as a shield. He may also use that same jutsu on Sakura and then even she would be an enemy. He couldn't forget about the other kitsune running around either. This ninja wasn't the only enemy they had to worry about. They also had to find the Hokage and Hinata before something happened to the objects they were turned into. If they broke...

The men howled with laughter, stomping their feet and shaking the tables.

Naruto turned his head to glare at them. As he did, the hood started to slip off his head, revealing his fox ears.

"Ah!" Sakura reached up with both hands and pulled it back over his head. Naruto yelped in surprised and pulled away. "Keep your hood up, Naruto."

"Why are you getting mad at me? They're the ones who are being pains in the ass."

"Just ignore them."

"I'm trying!"

He had to think of a plan. What could he do? How could he defeat the enemy and keep his one remaining friend safe?

That's right. Sakura was the only one who remained. He didn't know how many were being controlled by that jutsu, but it was clear that every ninja they came across treated them like an enemy. Maybe everyone in the village was under that jutsu. Sai, Kiba, Kakashi... Everyone. If anything happened to Sakura, he would be all alone. He would have to face this alone.

He didn't want to fight his friends. He didn't want any of this.

The other thing that was bothering him was his reaction back when Sai attacked them. Naruto left him behind. He ran away. He abandoned Sai.

Why would he do that? He never abandoned his friends, but he ran away then. He also ran from the enemy. He sensed that he was dangerous and he ran rather than fight. If he did meet that man again, would he be able to face him? Would he run again?

What about Sai? How could he do that? He had never done that before. He always dove head-first into danger. Was his curse turning him into a coward? Was he getting weak? Not physically, but on the inside. Was his will weakening? What about his morals? Everything he was, or at least what he used to be. Was he changing? Was he no longer himself? Was he turning into a different person because of his curse? Could he call himself Naruto? Even Sakura seemed worried about him. Not because of the seal but something else. Did she sense it, too? Did she think he wasn't himself anymore?

Naruto started to claw the wood counter with his nails which were slowly turning into claws. He tried to calm down. There was so such to think about. So much stress. He wished he had Seki with him but he had no idea where he was.

The men burst out laughing again and one of the men stumbled back into Naruto. His elbow made contact with Naruto's back and his cup tilted back, sloshing Naruto with beer. Hand soaking wet and his drink gone, the man turned and scowled at Naruto. "Hey, watch it, kid."

Unable to stand it for one more second, Naruto spun around. "You bumped into me!"

The man pulled Narut from his seat by the front of his cloak. "You starting something, punk?"

Alcohol made a short temper even worse. This man was clearly drunk and quick to pick a fight. Sakura had to do something to end it before it began. "He's sorry. Please don't hurt him."

Naruto looked at her. "Sakura." Did she think he was that weak? He could easily take these drunks.

She was actually trying to stop the men by acting weak and frightened. That shouldn't fuel their rage.

"He owes me a new drink," said the man. "He does that and we're all good."

"I don't have any money," Naruto told him firmly.

"Oh?" The man looked at the bar. "Then how did you get those?" He nodded to the waters.

"She bought them," Naruto answered.

"Oh, ho-ho! Making your girlfriend pay? What a cheap date! You need to learn some manners." He put Naruto up against the wall. "Some man you are, making a woman pay for drinks."

"This isn't a date and she's not my girlfriend!" If Naruto weren't so upset, he would have blushed and not corrected the man for thinking they were a couple. Naruto never denied being in a relationship with a girl. It inflated his ego a bit and made him feel proud.

"Oh, so you two aren't even dating? Ha! Seriously, you got a pair on you or what?"

Hearing him speak that way made Naruto for a brief moment think of Sai. Which then made him think about the enemy. That cloth man who was using him to hurt people.

Naruto snarled and dug his nails into the man's wrist, trying to pry him off.

Sakura again tried to plea for peace but now even his buddies were egging him on. They wanted there to be a fight. They chanted for him to give Naruto a beating.

"Get off me!" Naruto ordered.

"You think you're all that? You're a nobody. You can't order me around like that!" He pressed Naruto into the wall so hard, Naruto could feel the nails in his spine. "Am I gonna have to teach you a lesson?"

Naruto showed his teeth and snapped at him, growling. Rather than be intimidated, the men laughed.

"This kid's a loser! More bark than bite!"

It became too much for him to hold back. Naruto unleashed his rage but not as a human. He dug his claws into the man's arm and kicked him in the stomach with both feet. Off balance, the man stumbled, lowering Naruto to the floor. Now with both feet on the ground, Naruto jumped up, forced the man's arm to bend and bit him on the shoulder. The man screamed and pushed Naruto away. His teeth still closed around the man's flesh, pushing him away was about the worst thing he could have done. His flesh started to tear even more and blood soaked his shirt.

Snarling, Naruto released his hold and climbed higher onto the man's shoulder, scratching at his face and skull. When the man tried to take a swing at him, Naruto jumped down and snarled loudly, showing his teeth. The hood slipped off his head, revealing his fox ears.

Frightened, the unprepared men jumped back murmuring to themselves. The man Naruto was attacking suddenly had no words. Clutching his wounded shoulder, he stepped back.

Naruto was still panting and looking for anyone about to make a move. When no one offered themselves, Naruto allowed his lips to cover his teeth. He looked over at Sakura whose eyes were wide with fear. Naruto's ears dropped. He frightened her. Naruto looked away, ashamed. He pulled the hood back over his head and started to leave.

No longer in shock, Sakura quickly followed him out the door, never looking back at the bar-goers. "Wait!"

Naruto didn't stop. He kept walking with his head down.

"Naruto!" Sakura chased after him. "Wait!"

He didn't stop until he was on the other side of the road and turned to the forest. Sakura put her hand on his shoulder to keep him from leaving. He turned his head away, ashamed.

"Naruto..."

"I'm sorry."

Sakura blinked.

Naruto turned slightly so she could see his lips. "Sorry you had to see me like that." He turned away again. "I didn't mean to scare you. I don't want you to look at me like that."

"Like what?"

Naruto wouldn't look at her.

When he saw that look on her face, it made him feel like a monster. In her eyes there was no hatred but there was fear. It wasn't the same look he got from the villagers throughout his childhood but somehow it reminded him of them. He hated those looks. He never wanted to see such looks again. He wanted them to disappear.

Before, Naruto was happy to be a kitsune again. It gave him such a carefree and happy feeling. It was a time to play and do as he pleased. It was something different that he could enjoy. It allowed him some new abilities and he was thrilled to use them. Now, for the first time, he was ashamed of his fox side. If it caused Sakura to look at him like that, he didn't want to be a kitsune. Maybe foxes were bad. Maybe it was wrong to be one.

"Naruto, I'm not afraid of you."

"But look at me!" Naruto removed the hood. Only his fox ears were showing. It made him look cute, not scary. "Sakura, I was happy to be a kitsune again. Even if it caused some problems. I know you were worried about what would happen to the seal and I told it nothing would happen and that everything was fine. Well, it's not! The Nine-Tails isn't the problem and it has nothing to do with the seal. It's me! What this curse is doing to me!"

His ears flicked. Sakura would have smiled at the cuteness of it, but Naruto's tone kept the mood serious.

"I'm worried that I'm changing! That I'm becoming something I'm not."

"No, you're-"

"I left Sai when he attacked us! I didn't save him, I ran! When we saw the enemy, I didn't attack like the rest of you, I ran away! The old me wouldn't do that!" Naruto's voice started to break. "I'm scared that I'll stop caring about my friends. That being a fox means I'll leave you because my instincts tell me to. And I don't want that!"

One way or another, he was going to be alone. He was going to run from his friends or they were going to be taken from him.

"I don't want that! I don't want to drive you away or leave you or have that guy take you away from me! I don't... I don't..." Naruto started to cry. Embarrassed, he turned away to hide his tears.

He felt her hand on his back. "You didn't leave Sai. You didn't abandon him."

Naruto turned to face her.

"We had to leave. I left, too. It was the right thing to do. If we didn't, I would have ended up just like him." Sakura's tone was gentle and soothing. "And even when your instincts told you that it was dangerous, you still went back to help Sai when he was taken."

That's right. He did go back for him.

"You're right." Naruto remembered Ryosuke saving him from the hunter's trap when they were on the farm the first time he was cursed. Though his instincts told him to run, he went back for his friends. "It's not being a kitsune," Naruto realized. "Even they went back for their friends. Kitsune don't abandon anyone either. So being a kitsune doesn't mean I'll become heartless and run away. They don't. They're not like that at all. They're sensitive and caring."

He had it all wrong. What was he so worried about? Kitsune weren't like that. They didn't abandon their friends. Naruto didn't either. So being combined as both and neither side being one to leave a friend behind, meant that Naruto didn't have to worry about becoming someone he wasn't. That wasn't going to happen. He was worried for nothing.

"You're still you, Naruto. And you still care about your friends. Don't let it get to you. Don't worry about things that aren't true."

Naruto managed a soft smile. "You're right. Thanks, Sakura." His tail started to swish from side to side with joy.

Then he looked into the woods with a determined expression. Somewhere out there was Sai and all their friends. With them, the enemy who turned them against him. He had to be stopped. Naruto was never going to let the enemy get his home and everyone he cared about.

"We'll find him. We'll stop the cloth guy and save our friends."

That much he could promise.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

With nothing to eat, Naruto and Sakura were forced to find whatever they could in the woods. They stayed close to the stream snaking through the trees and kept a watchful eye out for any movement. They still hadn't come up with a plan. They were too busy worrying about how they would survive on their own with no supplies.

They slept where they could. Naruto dug a hole to burrow into to take shelter from the wind. He offered to make one for Sakura but she declined. The next morning, Naruto went out to hunt for their breakfast. He succeeded and brought back his kill. Sakura was building a fire to cook whatever he returned with. She was expecting fish but got a nasty surprise when he dumped his find on her lap with pride.

"What is that?!" she shrieked.

"A snake," he said proudly, his tail wagging.

"Ew! Gross!" Sakura jumped away, brushing off her skirt as she danced in place. "Why would you bring back that slimy disgusting thing?!"

"Actually, snakes aren't slimy at all," he told her. "They feel a lot like that leather bag you have. Remember? The one you saved up to get but only use it on special occasions? It has a flower buckle and-"

"I know the purse!" Sakura wouldn't go near the dead snake.

Naruto frowned. "You know... snakes are considered a rare and lucky find among foxes."

"I'm not a fox! It's gross! Wasn't there anything else in the woods you could have gotten?"

Naruto's ears lowered in disappointment. "Did you expect candy?"

"Anything else!"

Naruto frowned again. "You know... when food is scarce, you take what you can get. When I was with the kitsune, there was no food. They had to dig through trash and eat what they could find. They were thankful for a snake and they would share it with each other."

Sakura frowned at her own selfishness. She was relying on Naruto to do the hunting then complained when he brought something back. They were in no shape to complain. This was a desperate situation. They had to take what they could get.

Maybe being with the kitsune had made Naruto more sympathetic to such situations than her. He could better appreciate a snake when they were hungry than she could.

"I didn't just learn that from the kitsune. Pervy Sage taught me that, too. When I was out training with him, there were days when I went without eating a meal. Sometimes it was an endurance test where I had to fast. Sometimes it was because we were in the middle of nowhere and couldn't catch anything. At the time, I thought when he took me out to train me we would be staying near people. Staying at an inn and eating in restaurants. That wasn't the case. We spent a lot of time out in the middle of nowhere. I had to eat dead mice and things then, too. Only then it was cooked. Kitsune eat things raw."

Being the the Toad Sage allowed Naruto to learn a lot more than just jutsu. When he had first become a ninja, he couldn't tell which plants were good to eat or not. He learned from experience and from the things the sage taught him. The kitsune showed him a different way to do the same thing. He learned a lot from humans and animals. Because of them, he was better than before.

Sakura carefully approached the dead snake and poked it with a stick. "Well... I guess it's this or starve..."

"Oh, it's actually pretty good. It's a lot like eel."

"Like eel?" That she had eaten before.

"Yeah. It's pretty much the same, only less salty. Here, I'll show you." Naruto changed back into a human and took out a kunai. First, he cut off the head, then started to peel back the scaly skin like a stocking. The skin came off easily and was tossed on the ground like a large sock. "This is the good part." Naruto held up the peeled snake to show her the meat. The snake was nothing but pink meaty flesh now. "Just cut along the spine and we have stripes of meat."

Sakura was impressed. "How did you learn to skin a snake like that?"

"A combination of Pervy Sage and the kitsune. You can't eat the scales so it has to be removed. The kitsune had to peel it with their teeth but using a knife is better. You know, for humans. Since I can change back and forth, it's easier. I can pick which would be easier to do."

Sakura helped Naruto cut up the snake and cook it over the open fire. Naruto enjoyed the snake while Sakura needed some coaxing. She took tiny nibbles of the meat while Naruto ate it by the piece. Finally she admitted it was good but continued to eat it slowly.

"My hunting skills have gotten way better thanks to my training," Naruto said after he finished eating. "Being a kitsune encourages me to think in different ways. It's really helped a lot."

Thinking about it, Sakura realized that not all of Naruto's changes were bad ones. Being a kitsune did give him certain advantages. If only he could use those skills to think of a good plan.

Naruto shifted into his hybrid form and started growling. His ears pinned back and his nose pointed in a specific direction. Arching his back, he kept on all fours and let out a consistent growl. There was danger in that direction.

Sakura took out a kunai to defend herself. She couldn't be sure if the danger was human or animal. It could have been the cloth man or one of their own turned rogue.

Naruto's nose twitched. "It's Neji's scent."

Hearing his name, Neji came out of his hiding place and attacked Naruto without hesitation. Naruto dodged and clung to a tree trunk with his clawed hands. He snarled at Neji, showing his teeth.

Sakura knew at once that if Neji was attacking them he must have been effected by the enemy's jutsu. She kept her weapon close and waited for Neji to come to her.

Neji faced Naruto and ignored her. "You're still a kitsune, which makes you the biggest threat. You're going to be tricky to get rid of."

Naruto kicked off from the tree and plowed into Neji's stomach, head-first. Neji was thrown back but didn't lose his footing. He grabbed Naruto by his hair and forced him into the dirt. He stood on his back to held him in place. He started to take out a knife to cut him but Naruto wasn't that easily restrained. He turned his head to one side and bit Neji's ankle. Neji grimaced but didn't lose strength in his grip. He raised his knife high.

Bending his spine, Naruto managed to bring his legs up behind his back, over his head and kick Neji in the stomach. He pushed off the ground with both arms and into a flip. From there, he flipped again and kicked Neji in the chest, sending him backwards.

"Fox fire!" Naruto cast an illusion of himself while masking his real body in the form of a tree.

Neji looked at the illusion then at the tree a few steps away. "You've told me about your kitsune powers before. I was a witness to its power. Having faced it before, I know what to do. I know what's real!"

Using his Byakugan, Neji could see Naruto's chakra flowing through the tree and not the illusion. He knew where Naruto was hiding. Having faced a kitsune before, Neji knew how to get around it. This made Neji a dangerous enemy. Ignoring the illusion, he went straight for the real Naruto.

Naruto ducked down and ran between Neji's legs. He stood behind him as a human and put Neji in a headlock. Neji elbowed him in the ribs and kicked him in the shin. Naruto's grip loosened and Neji was free to gain some distance. He turned to face Naruto a few steps away.

Naruto growled. Neji was going to be difficult to defeat like this. Though he had done it before, Naruto was starting to have doubts about this battle. Neji wasn't really his enemy. He was being manipulated by someone else. This battle didn't seem fair in that case. Also, in Naruto's current state, he kept changing back and forth from human to kitsune, losing his abilities in each form. Not only that, but Neji could see through his illusions. Naruto wasn't good enough to fool Neji's other senses so he couldn't do what Mikale had done before.

Naruto was also feeling distracted. He could sense that there was someone else in the forest with them. Naruto had to protect Sakura as possibly the only friend he had left. She wasn't under the enemy's jutsu but everyone else seemed to be. He didn't want to face this alone or have Sakura as an enemy.

He looked Neji up and down. He could try possessing Neji's body. That could stop him. But Neji seemed to have a strong will, demonstrated when Mikale tried to do the same thing only to be forced out. Naruto was also fearful of the jutsu controlling Neji and what that would do to him. By possessing him, would he end up being controlled by the jutsu as well? As a kitsune, he was immune to most jutsu, but what if he was in Neji's body? What would that do to Neji? It was a huge risk he probably shouldn't take.

In his human body, Naruto conjured up multiple clones to attack Neji on all sides. He could feel himself growing excited and tried to remain calm. If he felt too much he would lose control and his clones would vanish.

Neji proved to be too powerful for the clones as he destroyed everyone of them with ease. When he got to the last one, he realized that it was just another clone. The real Naruto had left as soon as he summoned them. The clones were a mere distraction while he took Sakura and ran. Angry, Neji searched the forest with the use of his Byakugan and found them heading northeast from his location. Neji started after them.

Holding her hand, Naruto pulled Sakura through the forest as fast as he could. "I don't have time to bother with Neji right now. There's someone else in this forest." If he was busy fighting Neji, someone could have sneaked up and attacked Sakura. Worst case scenario, that would have been...

"You are getting to be a real pain in my side," said the sly amused voice of the cloth man.

Naruto stopped his run and hid Sakura behind his back, knowing that the man was right in front of him.

Sure enough, there he was, using the long cloth as a hammock dangling between two trees. He slowly lowered himself to the ground and smirked in greeting.

Naruto bared his teeth, his tail popping out in the process.

"Oh, why so upset?" the cloth man asked with a mock pout. "Do you miss your dear friend? Sai, was it?"

Flames of anger and hatred consumed Naruto's thoughts. All he could think about was defeating this man and saving his friends. This wicked man who took Sai and all his friends and turned them against him. The one who attacked his home and turned it into a battlefield. His home was no longer safe. It was enemy territory and it was all his fault.

"You son of a..!" Without thinking, Naruto charged forward in a blind fury, his hand balled into a tight fist. Numb to the pain of his nails digging into his palm, he swung at the man's smug face.

A cloth came up like an ocean wave and caught his punch. The fabric stretched like gum but wouldn't let Naruto's blow land. The cloth forced his arm back. Naruto swung with his other arm but this one was caught as well and tossed back. When he tried kicking, the cloth would slap his legs away like whips.

The man stood untouched before him, smirking.

"Good try."

His praise only made Naruto's blood boil even hotter. He came at the man in a fury, throwing punch after punch at him. Every attack was a failure, the fabric hugging his slender frame protected him. The tentacles pushed Naruto back every time. Bellowing in frustration, Naruto tried to force his way around them. He grabbed one long piece of fabric and pulled it down so he could climb over it. The fabric wrapped around his arm like a snake and pulled him off his feet. It tossed him through the air and slammed him into the ground.

Naruto got to his feet and charged in for another attack. The fabric wrapped around his legs in the middle of his run and dragged him across the ground. Then the fabric pulled him up and dangled him upside-down in front of the cloth man's face. He was still smirking.

"Like I said, good try."

Naruto swung his arms, but the man was just out of reach.

"You can't win against me, so you might as well give up."

Naruto kept trashing. He still believed he could land a hit if he tried hard enough. He tried to swing his body close but the fabric kept him just out of reach. "Give me my friends back!" he screamed. "Leave my village alone!"

"Your village? One village does not belong to one man alone. Or in your case, a feeble little boy."

"What did you call me?!" Naruto swung with all his might though it was pointless. He was never close enough to make contact. "Why are you here?! What do you have against the Leaf?!"

"Against it? Well, everything, of course." The cloth man brought his face closer to Naruto's. "It is the one who imprisoned me, after all."

"Imprisoned?"

Naruto's ears twitched, hearing a rustling coming from behind him. He couldn't turn his head far enough to see but he could smell Neji's scent.

"Ah, Neji. There you are," the cloth man greeted like an old friend. "Oh, that won't be necessary. I've got this. But you can have your way with the girl over there. Naruto and I have to chat."

"Yes, sir. As you wish." Neji then turned his body towards Sakura and attacked. Sakura backed up frantically to avoid his blows. Their fight went behind the trees where Naruto couldn't see.

"Neji, stop it!" Naruto called after him. "That's Sakura! She's our friend! Stop it!"

"He knows who she is," said the cloth man. "He simply doesn't care."

"What the hell did you do to Neji?! And to Sai and all my other friends? Tell me!"

The cloth man smirked at his questions. "I used my jutsu on them. I was well-known for it. Even ANBU thought it would be a fine addition to their team of skilled ninja."

"ANBU..?" Naruto's eyes lit up with realization. "Then that means..."

"Yes, Naruto. I am a member of the Hidden Leaf."

This man was a ninja of the Leaf Village. He wore no headband so Naruto couldn't tell what village he was from. He thought this was someone from another village attacking the Leaf while the Hokage was nowhere to be found. Sakura thought the same. As it turned out he was from the Hidden Leaf, not an outsider.

"Why the hell are you attacking your own village?" Naruto barked.

"You mean the village that imprisoned me? Why wouldn't I attack it? I've been caged up like an animal for years because of our precious village. To hell with it!" The fabric binding Naruto swung him around and slammed him into the ground then peeled him off the dirt and did it again. "You question why I'm attacking it? I think it would be obvious!"

Naruto hit the ground so hard it cracked two of his ribs.

"But it takes an army to pull off an attack of this magnitude. That's why I needed a little help from your friends."

Naruto grabbed onto a bush to keep from being slammed into the ground again. The thin branches in the bush started to snap in his hands as the cloth holding his ankles started to tug and pull.

"Though honestly, I mostly took them because I know they mean something to you. So how's it feel to be attacked by your own friends? To have them not care?"

"What did you do to them?" Naruto demanded, being torn from the branch and into the air.

Instead of being slammed, the cloth dangled him in the air while its master answered his question.

"It's my jutsu," he answered. "It severs bonds."

"Bonds?" Naruto breathed, hanging upside-down.

"Yes. I broke their bonds. That's how the jutsu works. That's what I was being bred to do," the man explained. "I've always had a frail body. When we were being trained and placed into combat exercises, I always lost. I was never strong enough to defeat the person I was matched against. I was always lacking physical strength. But when I used my jutsu, it was a different story. I was told one day to use any means necessary to win the match. Though the exercises focused on solely taijutsu, this time we were allowed to use other means to win if we needed. So I used my jutsu to force the other guy to submit. This was when I started to show promise."

"So this jutsu..?"

"It severs all bonds to make them loyal to me alone. A man cannot serve two masters. It will lead to conflict if one master orders you to do something the second forbids. This eliminates that issue. By making a person loyal to only one, there's no conflict. That was the issue we ran across during our training. We realized there would be a problem if one person was ordered to attack a loved one. We've seen it before. In fact, one ninja actually attempted to set a criminal free simply because it was their brother. They couldn't follow orders and arrest them. It posed a problem. But using my jutsu, the man no longer cares if it is their brother. If ordered to kill them, they would without hesitation. That is my jutsu."

"So you make them see everyone except you as an enemy?"

The cloth man chuckled lightly. "Oh, no, no. It's not that kind of jutsu. It doesn't force anyone to see another as an enemy. If anything, they become completely indifferent. By severing the bonds, they no longer care. If ordered to kill a loved one, they won't care. There will be no conflict. That way you can focus solely on the mission. Too many have failed because they were unable to detach themselves from personal feelings for a human being."

"Then the loyalty part?"

"It basically means what I've said. They'll only obey me. They won't care about anyone but me. I will be the one master, the only one in command. Everyone else is just a target to them. While they might know you, it's in name only. As far as personal feelings are concerned, they have none towards you." The cloth man smirked. "During my training, the higher-ups thought such a jutsu would be good for interrogation and turning overwhelming armies over to our side. It's an easy way to create allies. Too bad I was imprisoned before such things could take place. But now you get to see what it would be like."

The cloth binding Naruto tightened and flung him into a tree. Then it loosened its hold and tossed him to the ground. Badly beaten, Naruto could hardly manage to stand. He hunched over on all fours, panting and trying to stop his head from spinning.

"Feelings get in the way," the cloth man said. "Now your friends are ideal ninja. When I order them to do something, it will get done. Even if the order is killing you. They will do it without hesitation."

Naruto lifted his head to look at his enemy. Something about his explanation didn't make sense. "If you have a beef with the village, then why are you focusing on me?"

The smirk fell from the man's face. "What?"

"You heard me." Naruto struggled to his feet. "If you're so mad at the Leaf for imprisoning you, then why are you using my friends to attack me? It seems like you're after me a lot more than you are the village."

The cloth man stared at Naruto for a long time with a frown on his pale face. His confused expression might have been the result of being caught off guard by Naruto's question. To Naruto, there was something wrong with this picture. He had never met this man before and yet he was targeting him as if he had some personal vendetta against him.

The cloth man found his smirk and chuckled lightly at him. "Because it's fun. And since you're not effected by my jutsu, I see no reason why I can't have a little fun and torture you a bit. I can show you what I can do. Make you squirm. Show you how alone you truly are."

He wanted Naruto to not have a friend in the world by turning them all against him. This man was just plain cruel if that's what he was after. Sick pleasure in seeing Naruto suffer.

Fueled by rage and by the thought that bashing his head in would somehow break the spell his friends were under, Naruto ran forward with another punch.

Missing on purpose, Naruto jumped into the air and summoned up several clones to attack from all side. The cloths couldn't grab every single clone at the same time. Naruto could only count four wrapped around the man's body which meant he could only grab four at once.

Naruto was sorely mistaken. The fabric wrapped around the man like a giant cocoon to protect him from the onslaught of fury punches. It reminded Naruto of Gaara's sand. Even when he was doing nothing, the cloth would protect him, just like Gaara's sand. It seemed to be independent of his will. Did that fabric have a mind of its own? How was this happening?

The fabric parted all at once, spinning like a propeller to send the clones flying. When the real Naruto tried to attack, the cloth wrapped around a branch and pulled their master to safety. Two of the long pieces of fabric became his legs and walked for him while the man's human legs dangled under him. Like a spider, he crawled into a tree to hide from Naruto's fists. The fabric did the moving for him, pulling him out of the way, carrying him into branches, walking, blocking, everything. He just hung there with a smug expression on his face.

When Naruto summoned up more clones, these ones quickly vanished, not from an attack, but from Naruto's rage. His fox tail appeared and his clones vanished. "Damn it, not again." A light bulb went off in his head. "Wait a minute."

Using a different strategy, Naruto conjured up from flames from his tail. "Fox fire!" Several clone illusions appeared and attacked the man from either side. Thinking they were all real, he defended himself. Naruto couldn't get close without being attacked as well. The fabric was attacking anything that moved. He had to be careful and attack without being spotted.

Maybe he could possess his body. Would that end the jutsu? Something told Naruto not to attempt it. His instincts were never wrong so Naruto decided to heed them. He managed to get closer to this man without running away this time. That alone was a win in his book.

"Don't think you've won anything, Naruto."

A long piece of fabric wrapped around Naruto's neck and pulled him down.

"Nice try with the illusions, but you'll have to do better, imposter kitsune."

Naruto grew his fox claws and tried cutting the cloth around his neck. This fabric was so thick it was impossible to cut. Naruto tried using his kunai but that wasn't enough either. This cloth must have been special. Why else would it be able to move the way that it did and be this powerful?

"Torturing you is so much fun, I almost don't want to kill you." The man traced a line across Naruto's face with his fingertip. "Now I have a new dilemma. Should I be the one to kill you or should I have your friends do it? Perhaps I should call Sai and see what he does."

Naruto clawed at the fabric choking him. He couldn't get free. Where was Sakura? She was still fighting Neji. He hoped she was alright. She was strong enough to handle herself. Even if she was here to help, Naruto didn't want her to. Even if she was his only hope of getting free, it was too big a risk with the cloth man around. He could use his jutsu on her and then Naruto would have no one left on his side.

 _You need me_ , came the Nine-Tails' voice from within. _Remove the seal. Break it. You can't do this without me. You need my power. Do it!_

"I didn't... give you... permission... to come out..!" Naruto gagged. "I can do this without you! I don't need your help! Don't interfere!"

Naruto bent his head backwards, getting more air into his lungs.

He may have been in a dire situation, but he wasn't going to give in. His friends, his battle, his own strength.

Seething, Naruto spotted a way out. He transformed into a kitsune and managed to slip partway out of his cloth noose. Now it was constricting his nuzzle, but at least he could breathe. He conjured up some flames from his tail and tried to burn the fabric. It wouldn't catch on fire. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure fox fire worked that way. It didn't appear to be a burning type of fire. Not the ones he conjured this time, at least.

"Anymore bright ideas?" the man mocked.

Naruto changed back into a human. The shape of his face changed into something the cloth couldn't easily grasp so Naruto easily fell free. He bounced on the fabric, using it like a spring to launch himself straight up and away from the man. Since he couldn't attack him directly, Naruto had to attack at a distance.

Naruto quickly looked toward the trees, hoping Sakura was winning her fight against Neji.

Fight against Neji... "I got it!"

Naruto changed back into a kitsune and scurried up a branch into the trees.

The cloth man stood in wait for Naruto's return. He knew Naruto wasn't running away. "Come on out, Naruto! The fun's just beginning," he taunted. His eyes scanned the branches for signs of movement. A few leaves twitched but they turned out to be moved by bugs trying to escape the threat on the ground. The birds have already fled the area. Naruto must have been keeping very still. Maybe he was baiting him. He wanted him to come looking for him so he could attack.

Growing impatient, the cloth man was almost tempted to take him up on it. He kept his eyes on the branches, expecting Naruto to make his move soon. When he did, he would catch it. He was ready for an attack from above.

So much so that he never expected Naruto to come out of the ground by his feet.

"Gotcha!"

"Ah?!"

Naruto had a hold of his ankles and was attempting to drag him underground. Naruto was inspired by Kakashi doing the same thing when they were training. This was how he buried Sasuke during their first test.

The fabric came to his rescue, two pushing against the earth to keep him from going underground and the other two trying to pry Naruto's hands away.

"Cheap trick!"

Naruto pulled harder. "Not really," he grunted. "I think it's a clever one."

"You dug a hole," the man scoffed. "Very fox-like of you."

"Well, I am both human and fox now, so you should expect double from me." Naruto winked.

"Double? What are..?" Startled, the cloth man faced forward just in time to see the real Naruto jump from his hiding place and punch him in the face.

"Hah!" Naruto had been waiting for this. His knuckles made direct contact with the man's jaw. The force turned his head to the side and his body started to fall backwards. The clone still holding his legs wasn't letting go. Such an attack might end up breaking his neck.

The fabric stopped attacking the clone and formed a full-body pillow to cushion his fall. He slammed into the ground but the fabric took the brunt of the impact. It coiled around him as he rolled into a tree trunk.

It felt good. Naruto was proud of that punch. It felt wonderful. Now he just had to do it again. Doing it over and over wound satisfy his blood-lust. This man was going to pay for everything he had done to the Leaf and to his friends.

The fabric pulled away slightly to reveal the man's swollen cheek. He gave Naruto one bitter look and turned away. The fabric carried him off into the forest.

Naruto started to chase after him, but something was telling him to let him go. He wounded him. That was enough for now. Though Naruto wanted to finish the job and save his friends, this part of him wouldn't let him do that. It was telling him that if he did, it would have been a mistake.

He had to let the enemy retreat for now. As much as he didn't want to, he knew to trust his gut.

"I have to find Sakura." Naruto had to make sure she was alright.

As it turned out, he had nothing to worry about. Sakura gave Neji a good run for his money though there was no victor. The second the cloth man retreated, Neji gave up his fight to aid his master. Either that or Neji was only supposed to keep Sakura busy for a short time and then leave. Sakura wasn't sure which it was.

Naruto touched her arm and silently told her to follow with his eyes. They had to get out of the area and to a safe place where they would not be found. Now that they knew Neji was also on the enemy's side, they could easily be found if he was looking for them.

It seemed nowhere was safe.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

"So that guy's a member of the Hidden Leaf?"

Naruto sniffed the air to make sure they were safely away from anyone who may have been hiding in the forest. "Yeah. That's what he told me."

"And that jutsu of his... it makes people loyal to him alone? I thought it was something like that when Sai said he couldn't disobey an order from him. But when we fought Shino, Kiba and Neji, they acted different from Sai. They acted like they were indifferent to us. Like we were enemies they were sent out to defeat on a mission. They knew our identities but had no attachment to us. Sai knew what he was doing and didn't want to do it but couldn't go against orders."

"According to the guy, his jutsu severs bonds. Makes people not care anymore about people they know. Makes them indifferent. They're only loyal to him and no one else."

"That explains it." Sakura tried to think of what move they should make next. "I don't suppose he told you how long it would last."

"No, he didn't." Naruto brushed his fox tail absentmindedly. "Maybe if I beat him hard enough and make him pass out everyone will be free."

"It's a thought... What else you got?"

Naruto sighed looking up at the sky. He had no plan other than to beat the cloth man as hard as he could until the jutsu broke. "The guy's actually pretty weak. He told me so but I saw it for myself. After one punch, he ran off."

"That's good news. He'll be easy to defeat in that sense."

"It's that cloth that's the problem. It moves independent of his will. Like Gaara's sand. That's what it reminded me of. It moves so fast and it protects him. I tried to cut them but they're so thick and strong, it's hard to do. I don't know if it's naturally like that or if he made them that way with a jutsu or something."

"At least we know what he's done to our friends," Sakura said. "And we know his strength and weakness. He's physically weak. It's that fabric that's the problem. And his jutsu. We'll have to find a way around them."

"I'm open to ideas."

Sakura sighed. "It's not enough, is it? We need more information on this guy. We don't even have a name."

A name didn't matter to Naruto. He just wanted this man stopped.

Knowing that he was imprisoned by the Leaf meant he had to have done something terrible to get himself locked up. Had he been in the village this whole time or did he somehow escape and appeared when the Hokage went missing?

Naruto's knuckles were still stinging from the earlier punch. Not from any pain, but satisfaction. He landed a hit and he was proud of it. Now that he knew it was possible, he wanted to do it again and save his friends.

Who knew what he would do to them once he was finished? He might order them to kill each other for his own amusement. He was certainly cruel enough to do so. Would he kill them himself? Or was he planning on keeping them as his slaves forever? Either way it made Naruto sick.

"Loyalty doesn't work that way. He can't force it on someone like that. It has to come from within. He's toying with them." Naruto clenched his fists. "And severing bonds? That's not only cruel but impossible."

"What are you talking about? He did it."

"I don't believe it," Naruto said shaking his head. "A bond is stronger than that. It's deeper than that. He can't get rid of it that easily. A bond is important. It's strong. It can't be done away with."

He refused to believe his friends no longer cared about him. Deep down they must have still felt something. That's what he believed. He wasn't giving up on them. They were still his friends even if the jutsu wouldn't let them remember that.

Naruto shifted where he sat. He was restless. He knew his friends were still in the area. The cloth man must have sent them out looking for Sakura, being the only one left who wasn't under his influence. He was also hunting Naruto for pure sport. He told him so. Yet Naruto didn't fully believe that either. Something told him that there was more to this than the cloth man was saying. Simply tormenting him and taking over the village because he was upset about his imprisonment? Attacking the village was understandable, but turning his friends against him and focusing on Naruto alone? Why was he a target? They had never met before.

Have they? No, they haven't. This was Naruto's first encounter with him.

Naruto sniffed the air again. "Are we near a village or something?" he asked.

"You tell me. I can't track a scent like you can."

Naruto sniffed around. "It's faint but... I smell barbeque."

"Barbeque?"

"Yeah, I smell it." Naruto shrank down to fox form and started sniffing around for the source. It was getting stronger the further he wandered. Sakura followed close behind, keeping a watchful eye out while his nose was parallel to the ground.

On the ground, he found the source. An open bag of barbeque potato chips. Naruto poked around inside and found a few crushed chips left at the bottom of the bag. Also in the bag he discovered another scent. Choji's scent.

Naruto's fur stood on end and he back into Sakura. "Choji's nearby. These are his chips."

"And he wouldn't just leave them laying around like this." Sakura looked around, thinking they were set here as a trap. "Do you smell him nearby?"

"No, I can't. All I smell are these chips."

The forest was quiet, but being ninja, they would know how to keep quiet and out of sight.

"N- Naruto!"

Naruto turned around. Sakura was still standing where she was but her whole body was trembling.

"I can't move!"

If Choji was around that meant his teammates weren't too far behind.

Naruto snarled and pawed at the shadow on the ground leading to the bushes. "I know you're there, Shikamaru!"

"You're outnumbered, Naruto." Shikamaru stepped into the light. "You can't beat us."

"Then Choji and Ino are also with you."

Shikamaru smirked. "You're only half right."

"Human Bolder!" A giant ball of ninja came flying overhead and into the ground near Naruto's location. Naruto didn't have to move out of the way. Choji missed, wanting only to arrive on location rather than cause damage. His rolling body turned and slowed to a stop beside Shikamaru.

"But that's just Choji... How am I outnumbered if there's two of you and two of us?"

"You still overlook me," came Shino's voice. "How cold of you to forget me so easily. Am I really that hard to sense or are you just that poor of a ninja?"

Naruto couldn't even sense him. Shino was very good at hiding. He tried to find him but everywhere he looked he saw nothing but trees.

"Naruto!" Sakura whimpered still trying to free herself from Shikamaru's jutsu. "I can't do anything like this!"

"It's like shooting fish in a barrel." Shikamaru nodded to Choji. "You're up. She's not going anywhere."

"Got it." Choji curled back into a ball and expanded himself, readying an attack.

Was he planning on attacking Sakura while she couldn't move or was he aiming for Naruto. Unable to tell, Naruto had to make a decision. If he ran, Sakura was helpless. She wouldn't be able to get out of the way if Choji chose to come after her instead. Naruto changed back into his human form and started to toss kunai in Shikamaru's direction, hoping to make him move. Choji rolled in front of him to protect him. At the same time bugs started to appear around Naruto's face. Shikamaru's plan was to hold Sakura in place as a hostage while the other two attacked. Naruto was not only outnumbered and didn't have back-up, but now he also had to protect Sakura while their battle went on.

The fight began. Naruto summoned up several clones to attack while he tried to get as far away from Sakura as he could so she wouldn't be in danger while keeping an eye on her so he could protect her. It wasn't easy to do. He had to stay close enough to protect her while keeping a distance so any stray attacks wouldn't hit her.

The clones vanished when Choji plowed through them with a giant arm. Shino sent his bugs after Naruto and it was nearly impossible to get away from them. Naruto summoned up more clones as a distraction. They soon vanished when Naruto's tail popped out. He still couldn't control his transformation in the heat of battle. He needed Sakura's help. He had to do something about Shikamaru.

Summoning up several illusions, Naruto ran back to see if there was anything he could do to help her. Shikamaru stood behind her, using her as a shield. Naruto looked from Sakura to Shikamaru, thinking. He couldn't reach Shikamaru from here. Sakura was still connected to him through the shadow binding them. Remembering something Shikamaru had mentioned a while ago, Naruto thought he had an idea.

Naruto stood in front of Sakura and grimaced, knowing what he was about to do. "Sorry, Sakura." He kicked her in the shin.

"Ow!" Her legs were covered up by her boots which helped provide a little bit of protection to her shins. Not so much for Shikamaru whose shoes didn't go up that far.

"Ah!" Shikamaru's leg came out from under him and he hopped in place.

Whatever happened to one happened to the other so long as they were connected.

Naruto grabbed Sakura and forced her onto the ground. Shikamaru did the same. As soon as he hit the ground, he released the jutsu. Freed, Sakura got to her feet and stood beside Naruto to assist in the fight.

"I'll get you back for that kick later, Naruto."

"Hey, it worked, didn't it? And I said sorry!"

"I guess you have a point." Sakura faced front and punched the earth with her fist. "CHA!"

The ground shattered and Choji was knocked off balance. He stumbled into a tree while Shino managed to escape the attack. He aimed an attack at Sakura but Naruto had already cloned himself and tackled Shino to the ground. His clones sat on Shino while the real one went to battle Choji with Sakura. Back and forth, they pounded Choji but he didn't seem to feel much of their attacks in his expanded form. He punched Naruto into the air and Sakura punched him back. Naruto came running back and bit Choji's shoulder in human form. His clones were still restraining Shino.

"Get off! Get off!" Choji shrank back to normal size and ran in circles trying to get Naruto off. Naruto kept a strong hold on Choji and sank his teeth in even further. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Choji ran right into a tree but tried to use it to pry Naruto off. He slammed Naruto into it several times but he was impossible to get off.

Suddenly, Naruto jumped away. Sakura came running at top speed over to Choji and gave him an uppercut right to the chin. Choji's head snapped back and bashed into the tree trunk. It wasn't enough to cause any permanent damage or kill him, but it was enough to knock him unconscious.

"One down."

The clones popped and Shino was freed. Naruto had grown his tail again. Shino and Shikamaru stood side by side, ready to fight.

"They won't get away," said Shino.

"No, they will not," added Shikamaru. "Orders are orders."

Naruto took a stance and hissed at them.

"We know your kitsune powers. We know your weaknesses. You won't win."

"Wanna bet?" Naruto rushed in and pounced. Shino ducked and just as Naruto began to sail over his head, jumped straight up and punched him in the stomach. Wind knocked out of him, Naruto slammed into the tree and fell to the ground. He wasn't able to cushion his fall and wasn't able to recover quick enough to move out of the way before Shino stepped on his neck. He drove his heel into Naruto's collar bone.

The tree to their side splintered as Sakura came plowing through it fist-first. The two ninja jumped aside to get to a safe distance. They looked at Sakura, trying to predict her next move.

She went right to Naruto's side. He was able to stand on his two feet and pushed her aside to get to them. They dodged his blows and struck back with their own attacks.

"Rasengan!" Naruto blasted holes in the ground and in the trees. He managed to hit Shino's shoulder only once with that attack. His friends were quick. Shikamaru kicked Naruto from behind, forcing him to the ground. Sakura came to his rescue and she and Shikamaru started throwing punches at each other. Naruto went to help her only to get dragged back by Shino.

Naruto twisted his body around and bit him. Sakura grabbed Shikamaru by both wrists, fell backwards and tossed Shikamaru over her head and into the pile of broken woods from the tree she smashed earlier.

Through their fight so far had taken five minutes, both Naruto and Sakura were breathing heavy. They had just locked horns with Neji and the cloth man less than an hour ago.

The two staggered out of the wood pile and glared at their enemies. Shino was bleeding and bruised but was otherwise unharmed. Shikamaru had picked up one of the branches to defend himself and to steady himself on his shaky legs.

Without thinking, Naruto tossed two more kunai at Shino. Shikamaru blocked with the branch, protecting him.

"As impulsive as ever," commented Shino. "Let's finish this."

"I was just thinking the same thing."

Sakura and Naruto braced themselves for another attack.

Shino and Shikamaru took aim at them. Shino raised his arms while Shikamaru held the branch like a bat. Shino performed a hand-sign. Shikamaru gripped the branch tightly and...

… Clubbed Shino over the head with it.

"Huh?!"

Shino fell forward onto the ground and Shikamaru dropped the branch with a huge sigh.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto and Sakura. "You two ok? I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?"

Stunned, neither one could answer.

"It's ok," Shikamaru said. "I just knocked him out. He'll be fine."

"Shikamaru..." Naruto breathed. "You... How did you break the enemy's jutsu?"

Shikamaru climbed down from the wood pile. "I was never under the enemy's jutsu."

"What?!"

"Then you were..?"

"I was just acting," he answered. "I faked the whole thing."

"Acting?" Naruto's head was spinning. Then anger took over. "You mean you were faking it this whole time?! I thought the enemy got you but you were just pretending?!"

"Yeah."

"Why?!"

Calmly, Shikamaru answered him. "I had to infiltrate enemy territory. Once I saw what was going on, I decided to play along and act like one of the infected to find out what was going on. Through observation, I figured out how they acted and was able to mimic it so well not even the caster knew I wasn't really under his control. Once I got in, I took careful notes on how everyone was behaving and got as much information as I could about the enemy's plan."

Naruto threw a punch at Shikamaru but he dodged. "Why the hell didn't you tell us?!"

"Because I had to make it convincing. If I told you guys what was going on, you might have held back and that might have tipped them off," he said. "I also couldn't risk someone blabbing or letting it slip that I was just acting."

Their eyes fell straight to Naruto.

"Oh, sure! I'm the one with the big mouth. I know when to keep quiet."

"It was still too big a risk. If we were in the middle of a fight, I couldn't risk you or someone else calling out 'hey, take it easy' or 'just fake fight me, you don't have to do it for real' or something like that. Or try talking to me while I'm in the middle of an investigation."

Sakura nodded her head. "Well, that does make sense. I see why you did that."

"Sorry for not telling you before, but I had to do it this way."

"It's alright. We understand."

"I'm still mad at you," Naruto grumbled.

Shikamaru looked down at Shino. "Though he might not remember it after that blow to the head, my cover's still blown. I can't hang around anymore or I'll get the jutsu for sure. So I guess we'll be a team from here on."

"You could always tell him that you missed or someone attacked you from behind or something," suggested Naruto.

Shikamaru shook his head. "No. I don't think so. I think this is it for my steak-out. But I do have a lot of information. I'll tell you what I know. I think it will help."

"Good but can we get out of here first?" Sakura asked, looking around at their fallen friends. She didn't want to be around when they woke up.

* * *

Sakura helped heal Shikamaru's injuries. Because neither Naruto nor Sakura wanted to hurt him, Shikamaru's injuries were minor. They found a quiet place to chat by the river far from anyone who may have been eavesdropping. The trickling river helped create some noise to cover up their conversation just in case anyone was lurking nearby. According to Naruto's nose, no one was around to hear them.

"What did you find out about the enemy?" Sakura asked Shikamaru.

"I know a name," he answered. "Karada. And he's a member of the Hidden Leaf."

"Yeah, he mentioned that when he was slamming me into the ground. He said he was imprisoned."

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. I don't know what he was imprisoned for, but I know where to find that information. Along with details about his jutsu." Shikamaru filled up his canteen from the river. "For that, we'll have to go back to the village."

"But that's too dangerous now," said Sakura. "If everyone there is an enemy... I mean, we were attacked going back to it and right outside the gate. And now that your cover is blown, there's no way they'll let you inside. That guy might use that jutsu on you the second you try. And me, too."

"But it has the information we need. We have to better understand this jutsu and what we're up against." Shikamaru took a quick drink before continuing. "He has a file. Being part of the village and being imprisoned. I know where to find it. I helped the Hokage sort papers before. It's in a secure place but I can get it. And I doubt it will be guarded. Everyone in the village is out looking for Naruto, so it's a safe bet that they won't bother looking after a bunch of files."

"I guess so... It still sounds risky to me." Sakura was afraid to go back under these conditions. Naruto and her were trying to get away from the village. They were hopelessly outnumbered. "Didn't you learn anything about this guy when you were spying?"

"Not enough. All I know for sure is that even when the guy is asleep, the jutsu remains effective, so knocking him out won't break it. Same thing with anyone effected by it. Even if you knock them out, they'll still be under its influence when they wake up." Shikamaru took a deep breath. "That's not all I found out about this guy."

Naruto's fox ears flicked at Shikamaru's cryptic tone. He knew whatever he was about to tell them was going to be important.

"He's not our enemy."

Naruto's mouth fell open. "What?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura was just as stunned. "But he's been using that jutsu on all our friends and attacking us. How is he not our enemy?"

"I thought he was, too, at first. Then I learned that it wasn't all true. Yes, he's doing this stuff, but it's not all his fault. I think he's being controlled, too."

"By whom?" asked Sakura. "Another guy who can use this same jutsu?"

"No," said Shikamaru. "By a kitsune. I think he's under a curse."

A shiver went up Naruto's spine. "A curse..?" He knew a kitsune's curse had many effects but controlling a person's mind or actions was one he had never heard of before. Considering how one curse was able to take away Shikamaru's genius, it wasn't too hard to believe that such a thing was possible.

"How do you know that?" asked Sakura.

"Judging from his actions and things like that. I was able to conclude that he was being controlled by someone else. He also seems to know an awful lot about kitsune for a human who has never made contact with one before. He also knew that Naruto was one and has targeted him in particular. They've never met, especially considering how he's been locked up in a cell for years. Yet he knows a lot about Naruto and seems to be after him more than anyone else. Naruto and Seki informed us that enemy kitsune were targeting him because they're allies. I also figured out that there's more than one kitsune out there. We managed to defeat Mikale but there's still one more out there at least. So I figured it has to be a kitsune pulling the strings."

"Yeah, we figured that out, too," said Sakura. "We knew that there was one more out there but we didn't know where. Do you have any idea?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "No. He keeps himself hidden. Unlike illusions, it seems he doesn't need to keep close to someone he's cursed."

"That's it!" Naruto gasped. Sakura and Shikamaru turned to stare at him. "The night of the fake fire! I knew something was going on! I knew it was some kind of cover for something else."

"Exactly," said Shikamaru. "At first we thought it was to either show off their power or as a cover so one could find Kakashi and possess him. The fire was a diversion."

"But a kitsune has to concentrate on an illusion that size and for something that big, there would have to be more than one. So that's when I realized there had to be at least two kitsune there that night. One was casting the illusion while I fought the other."

Shikamaru nodded. "Yes. But I was bothered by the idea that they pulled off that kind of illusion just to get to Kakashi. I thought there was more to it than that. I was confused by their actions. Then Naruto told me that I was thinking like a human. A fox would act differently in a battle. They may have human intellect, but they are still animals. I had to think like a fox. Long story short, I realized that the fake fire was indeed a distraction. Kitsune are tricky. I think the fire was set so one kitsune could go free Karada."

"But how would they know about a ninja like him?" asked Sakura. "They've never been to the village before."

"That's what I'm still trying to figure out. Unless they got the information from the Hokage. We still don't know where she is or what curse they might have placed on her."

Naruto shifted into his fox form. "That's all I need to know right now. Let's just go back to the village and get that information you wanted. We're wasting time."

Sakura blocked his path with her arm. "Naruto, if we go rushing back there, we're bound to run into more of our infected friends. It's one fight after another. We need a plan."

"That's why Shikamaru's here. Let him handle it."

Shikamaru looked at the sky. It was late afternoon. By the time they got back to the village it would be nightfall if not later. Going in undercover of darkness was a good idea. The sky looked pretty clear so he would still be able to use his shadows if the moon and stars were visible. Naruto could also see pretty well in the dark as a kitsune. Going back now would be their best bet.

"Let's head back."

Sakura looked at him in surprise.

"He's right. We'll just be wasting time. It will take us a while to get back. Let's start now and think on the way. We'll manage somehow. Trust me."

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

No one spoke on the way back to the village. They remained quiet and close together. Naruto shifted back and forth from human to fox as they ran swiftly back to their home. When the wall was in sight, they slowed their run and kept an eye out for anyone skulking about. The coast was clear so they climbed over the wall.

On the surface, the village looked quiet and empty. Normally there were a few ninja out at this hour on watch duty. Tonight, there was no one walking the streets or on the wall. There were a few ninja by the main gate but that was further away from there Naruto's group had entered. They moved quickly to the Hokage building and sprinted inside. As Shikamaru suspected, the place was deserted. Shikamaru took them down to the basement where most of the records were kept.

"This one," Shikamary whispered and opened one of the doors along the wall. He took them inside a large room which felt a lot more narrow with all the shelves and boxes. There were thousands of ninja files lining the walls stuffed into bookcases and hanging out of boxes.

"He said he was from ANBU," whispered Naruto, trying to help Shikamaru find the file faster.

Shikamarus' fingers ran over the tightly packed papers until he came across one that looked promising. He pulled it off the shelf and opened the file. Naruto pressed against Shikamaru to see the file. Inside the folder were several papers, handwritten notes and a photograph paper-clipped in the top right corner of the file. It looked like the cloth man they now knew to be Karada, only a lot younger. In this photograph, he looked to be about twelve.

"Karada Mamoru," Shikamaru read aloud.

"So that's his name." Sakura moved closer to see the file.

"He was trained in ANBU alright," Shikamaru went on. "He was trained at a young age. Says here he was orphaned. They took him in and trained him to be a ninja. There are details about his training right here. Some of this stuff is really intense."

"Wasn't Sai in ANBU?" asked Naruto. He couldn't keep track of everything.

"Says here," Shikamaru went on, "that he was lacking several necessary skills to be a ninja so they wanted to cut him from the program. He was frail and lacked physical strength. Says here that he always lost when it came to combat training drills. His endurance was also lacking. He couldn't run laps like the others in his training group." Shikamaru shifted a few papers around. "But when he was told to use other methods to win, he always came out on top."

Shikamaru held up one of the papers from the file. He put it on top and read the notes.

"According to this, when he was told to use his special jutsu, his opponent would surrender at once and forfeit the match when told. It was because of this jutsu that they decided to keep him in the program and continued to train him. Says that where he was lacking, this jutsu made up for it. It's a jutsu only he can use and it's very powerful. There are details right here."

Naruto moved closer to read the details of the jutsu, written by hand on the aged yellow paper.

Any person under the influence will be loyal to the caster and obey his command. Remains in effect until released. A person will remain loyal indefinitely, regardless of chakra or loss of consciousness. In order to keep victim from conflict of interest or other alliances, the jutsu also severs all bonds to other people. The afflicted person will no longer feel anything towards individuals they have personal history with or otherwise. This ensures they will carry out any order given to them because all personal feelings will be gone. The jutsu does not create amnesia. Person under the jutsu's influence will recognize allies by name and face but will no longer have personal feelings towards them. They will be completely indifferent.

"Says here the primary use of his jutsu skill set was interrogation and converting enemies to allies." Shikamaru looked up from the file. "Well, that's obvious. He's doing one of those two things to our friends right now."

"Where does it mention him being thrown in prison?" asked Naruto. "What did he do?"

"Uh..." Shikamaru shifted the papers around until he came across the explanation. He read the answer aloud. "Though the jutsu was thought to be very useful for interrogations and in battle with a dangerous enemy, the subject was deemed too dangerous to continue with training or any other future projects. There was a strong possibility that the subject would rebel against fellow Leaf ninja and possibly use jutsu against village. Because of this, subject was removed from program and placed in solitary confinement."

"Solitary confinement?" Sakura repeated. "So they kept him away from people on the off chance that he would use that jutsu on someone."

Shikamaru pointed to something at the bottom of the page. "Says here that he's currently serving an indefinite sentence. So far he's served nine years."

"So he's in prison for the rest of his life?" Sakura looked at the file. "But... but according to this, he hadn't done anything yet. They just tossed him in a cell on the off chance that he would."

For the first time, Naruto didn't feel rage towards the cloth man, Karada. Instead, he felt rage toward the people who put him in prison.

Shikamaru closed the file with a heavy sigh. "They thought he was too dangerous because of his powerful jutsu. They were afraid he would use it against them. If he had a disagreement with his instructor or on a whim. So they locked him up. No wonder he declared war on the Leaf. I'd be pretty pissed off, too, if it were me."

"But he's been cursed, hasn't he?" said Sakura. "We don't know what kind of curse it is. Do you think Karada just joined forces with the kitsune because he had a vendetta?"

"No, I still think he's cursed. Some of the things he does are odd for someone who is just after the Leaf Village. He's after Naruto mostly and he doesn't even know who he is. The kitsune is pulling the strings."

"As far as the curse goes," said Sakura, "it could be anything. We know a kitsune curse can turn a person's body into something else and it can hinder you in other ways like taking away your ability to think or Neji's sight. Maybe the curse he's under amplified his hatred toward the Leaf, or made him loyal toward the kitsune."

Shikamaru held up the file. "According to this, he came quietly. When they told him that he was going to be held in a cell, he didn't put up a fight. He did as he was told. Even the instructor said in his reports that Karada was always very obedient. Never caused problems and always tried his hardest. When they told him to do something, he did it. Even going to a cell for the rest of his life. He didn't complain. He did as he was told."

"It's like he didn't care." Sakura thought of Sai and what he had told her before. "They train people to be unfeeling. There is only the mission. Maybe he's like Sai and did what he was told because he was trained to be that way."

Shikamaru opened the file again. "Says here, he spent one year with Danzo before being transferred back into his regular program. It was just for a trial period."

"Maybe Danzo did something to him? Is one year long enough? Of course, the file did say that Karada was always frail. Maybe he didn't fight back because he couldn't. But why not use the jutsu? Seems like a good time to use it and save yourself."

"Maybe he didn't want to prove them right."

Naruto shifted into his hybrid form, his rage mounting. Sakura and Shikamaru took notice of this and called attention to it. Even when they told him to calm down, he couldn't.

They treated him like a threat. They thought he was dangerous. He hadn't done anything yet. His potential alone was enough to convict him. They locked him in a cell and treated him like a threat. A dangerous enemy. A monster.

Naruto could see himself as Karada. He felt connected to him in a small but important way. He didn't pity him so much as he understood him. In the past, Naruto was treated like a threat, too. People looked upon him with hatred and contempt. He could see those people in ANBU looking at Karada the same way.

What could he do? What would he do to them? When would he do it? It was only a matter of time. They had to do something before he took action. Was today the day he unleashed his jutsu on them and took away their bonds and made them loyal to him alone? What would he make them do? They had to do something about it before it happened.

They looked upon Karada with fear and hate, making him into an enemy while he was still on their side. If anything they made him into a monster.

They trained him, made him stronger, turned him into a ninja so he could help the Leaf. Then they threw him in jail for something he didn't do.

"He didn't do anything," Naruto breathed. "They turned him into an enemy. The guy hadn't done anything yet and they treat him like a monster? It isn't fair!"

Shikamaru put the file back on the shelf and touched Naruto's shoulder. His shoulder was hot to the touch. He could actually feel Naruto's blood boiling. "Naruto, you have to calm down. We'll stop him and get everyone back to normal."

"And what about him?!" Naruto slapped Shikamaru's had away. "What about Karada?!"

"I thought you wanted to beat him to a pulp," said Sakura firmly. "You feel sorry for him now?"

"He's not our enemy anyway!" Naruto yelled. "Shikamaru just said the guy's under a curse, so he's in the same boat as our friends. He's not responsible for his actions! The kitsune is making him do this!"

He had a point. If his actions were really brought on by a curse, Karada wasn't really their enemy. He was just a pawn. He was being used.

"And even if he wasn't, I can't blame him for being angry at the village for throwing him in jail for something he didn't do!" Naruto panted, trying to catch his breath. He was so angry his head was starting to spin. "They trained him and for what? The second he starts to show promise, they think he could be a danger and throw him into a cell for the rest of his life? It's not fair! He didn't do anything yet! They just locked him up because he might have done something. There's a good chance he never would. They're being paranoid! The guy was locked up and he probably didn't know why! He's trying his hardest to be a great ninja and they treat him like a monster!"

Now Sakura understood. It wasn't that Naruto felt sorry for Karada. He felt connected to him. That they were similar. Naruto could see a part of himself in Karada. Looked upon with hatred and thought to be dangerous. Made out to be a monster.

Karada needed to be saved.

"In any case..." Shikamaru started to move toward the door. "Now we know more than we did. The jutsu everyone is under can only be broken if Karada wants it to be. He has to remove it. It won't wear off. Sounds like it works the same way as a seal. Once it's put it place, someone has to take it down. It doesn't just wear off after a while."

"That also means that we have to be careful not to kill Karada," added Sakura. "If he's gone, who knows what will happen to our friends? The jutsu could still be in place but without him around..."

"Yeah. It's a sticky situation." Shikamaru sighed again. "As far as his curse is concerned, that's another problem. We can't break it. We'll have to defeat the kitsune to get Karada back to normal and hope he's different from how he is now. I hope he doesn't get up fighting even after the curse is broken."

"But we don't even know where to find the kitsune."

"That might have been where Seki went. Remember he did run off pretty quick saying there was something he had to do." Shikamaru moved a box out of his way with his foot. "He might have gone after the kitsune."

"It's possible."

"Anyway, we can't stay here," said Shikamaru. "Someone is bound to find us and this room is cramped enough as it is. We're pretty trapped. So we have to get moving before something happens."

"The last thing we need is for someone to find us cornered in here."

Shikamaru opened the door and peeked out into the hall. He waved to let them know the coast was clear and the trio hurried into the hall. They hurried up the stairs and back outside without drawing attention to themselves.

* * *

The long walk away from the village was disheartening. Once again they were leaving their home behind. Naruto felt like a stranger in the village now that everyone had been turned into enemies. He wanted to make it his home again. A safe place where he could be with his friends and not have to worry if they were going to attack him.

"It's strange to feel like our own home is enemy territory," commented Sakura.

"Once everything is back to normal, it won't feel that way."

"Yes, but how do we do that?" she asked. "If this Karada guy is under a kitsune curse, then we can't break it. Only the kitsune who put it on him can remove it. That's what Naruto said. And this guy has one hell of a jutsu we have to watch out for. Our friends are going to be our enemies until he breaks it. According to his file, this jutsu doesn't wear off."

Naruto started thinking. "I wonder... If Karada had a run-in with a kitsune, maybe he's possessed. That could be why we can't find the kitsune anywhere."

"But would a kitsune know how to use jutsu in a human body?" Shikamaru asked him.

Naruto pouted. "Yeah, I guess you're right. A fox wouldn't know how to do that. Even we had to be trained, so a kitsune can't just pick it up right away. So Karada's not possessed, but he is cursed."

"We just have to find a way to break it. The only way is to defeat the kitsune, right?"

"If the kitsune removes it willingly or if it dies, then the curse would be removed." Naruto nodded. "Those are the only two ways."

Shikamaru put his hands on his hips. "So it all comes down to finding the kitsune. One way or another, we have to find him. He's the key to this whole thing."

"But Naruto can't track his scent," Sakura pointed out.

"Yeah. And I haven't seen him at all," said Shikamaru. "After putting that curse on Karada, he must have taken off. I bet he's hiding in a safe place while Karada does the work for him. A fox is going to avoid conflict with a powerful enemy if they can avoid it, right? He is an animal, after all. He's going to keep his distance. Even if he likes to mess with humans, he wouldn't want to get himself killed."

"That's true," said Naruto. "I've seen it before. Kitsune will keep their distance even when using their fox magic to mess with people. They want to be safe."

"And he must know we're out looking for him so that's another reason to keep hidden. This kitsune might also know that his partner's already been killed, so he'll be more cautious."

Naruto himself was on the cautious side as they were going to and from the village. He found it odd that they hadn't run into any ninja on their way in or out. Just the other day, they couldn't go into the village without being attacked by former friends. At first Naruto thought they were just lucky, now his gut was telling him to be on guard. Something wasn't right.

Feeling as if they were walking into a trap, Naruto moved closer to his friends, his eyes traveling from branch to branch, searching for signs of danger.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura asked, leaning away. "You're getting a little close."

"We haven't seen anyone in all this time and before it was crawling with ninja. Something's not right."

Shikamaru and Sakura exchanged looks. Naruto was right. It was strange. They turned their bodies around, standing back to back and looked for enemies.

Naruto's ears flicked. Air was being moved. A breeze moving through still air, like someone blowing on the top of his head from behind. There were no footsteps, but there was movement. He could sense it.

"Get down!" Naruto forced his friends to the ground and jumped into the air to meet the threat head-on.

A long cloth slapped him in the chest and pressed him into a tree trunk.

"Ninja or beast, you are quite skilled."

Shikamaru grabbed Sakura and pulled her into the forest. They had to avoid Karada with their lives. If he caught them with his jutsu, it was all over.

Naruto bit the fabric binding him but it wouldn't budge an inch.

Karada came swinging from another tree and landed lightly in front of him with that same smirk he always wore. "You should have told me you were coming home so I could greet you properly," he said sweetly. His wicked grin didn't match the gentle tone in his voice. "You'll have to settle for this."

The fabric tightened and pulled Naruto away from the tree and slammed him into the ground.

"You like my warm welcome, Naruto?" Karada asked sweetly. "Can't you feel the love?"

The fabric tightened, making it hard for Naruto to breath. "Ah! Ah!" Naruto clawed at the ground in an attempt to get away but his body was held in place by the cloth.

It moved again, whipping him through the air and slamming him hard into the ground. Karada cackled, enjoying this.

"Stop it!" Naruto yelled.

"Ohh... You don't sound too happy," cooed Karada. "Do you miss your friends? Is that it? Maybe I should have Sai pay you a visit. Would you like that? I'm sure he's just _dying_ to see you."

Fearing the worst, Naruto shot a look at Karada.

He laughed at Naruto's expression. "Oh, don't worry. He's still breathing. I treat my subordinates well. What do you think I do to them? You think I would go through all the trouble to gather them up just to kill them? Now who's being dark?"

"We don't have to fight each other," Naruto told him before he could get slammed again.

"Oh, you know, I think we do." Karada slammed Naruto into the ground again. The fabric released him for a moment only to wrap around his face to smother him. Naruto felt himself being lifted of the ground then released and thrown into a tree. Karada laughed and sent his coils in for more.

Naruto tried to cut the cloth with his kunai but it wouldn't be cut. It was too thick and far too strong. The blade flew from his hand and Naruto was tossed into the air again. He was juggled through the air then dropped. Before he could get up, he was dragged across the ground by his legs. The cloth had a firm hold on him again.

"Whoa!" Naruto was flung into the air and slammed hard against the ground. Up and then down, hard. Again and again. He tried to brace himself but the impact was brutal no matter what he tried. He tried to cover his head with his arms but it was no use. "Stop! Stop!"

"Why?" asked Karada. "Isn't this fun? It is for me."

"I'm not your enemy!" Naruto screamed as he was thrown into the ground again.

Karada scoffed. "I'm attacking you, aren't I? You are trying to stop me from doing what I'm doing. You attacked me. How are you not my enemy?"

Before Naruto could answer, he was pressed into the ground by the cloth and he tasted dirt.

"I told you I was from the Leaf. You didn't even know that. Face it. I have to tell you everything because you haven't a clue. You are pathetic."

Karada beat him against the ground, forming a bigger impression in the soil with each strike.

"You don't even know what's going on. You were surprised to see me in the forest. I had to tell you about my power. You really don't know anything about me. This fight is really one-sided."

SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!

"Pathetic Leaf ninja."

SLAM!

"What a sorry excuse. You should train more, you animal."

SLAM!

"You and your cowardly friends. Ignorant, foolish..."

SLAM!

"You don't even know why you're fighting me. I'm a mystery to you."

"We know what happened to you!" Naruto screamed, spitting dirt from his mouth. "How you were thrown in jail because they were afraid you would use your jutsu against them!"

The beating stopped. Karada stood where he was, arm frozen in the air in mid-strike.

Naruto turned his head to the side to breathe. "I read your file. I know everything. How they trained you and imprisoned you. I know about your jutsu and how they planned on using it. I know it all." Naruto wiped his lips off on the back of his hand, smearing wet dirt onto his skin. "I just want to talk. I understand. I know how you feel."

Karada frowned in anger. "You may have read my file, but you don't know everything. And you sure as hell don't understand!"

The cloth around Naruto's legs sent him flying into the air and back onto the ground in another painful smack.

"I was trained by them for years, as far back as I can remember," Karada spoke as he dragged Naruto across the dirt by his legs. "For hours and hours, I trained. I broke bones, I shed blood! I would sweat buckets and shed tears and passed out! My training was hard, merciless! I was pushed so hard and without a break!"

Naruto was thrown into a tree, breaking branches on impact. He was pulled straight down and into the ground with a sickening thud. Naruto spat up blood and his bones cracked.

The coils around his legs loosened. Karada stood over him, panting.

"My training wasn't all bad, though. It wasn't out of cruelty. There was a purpose to it all. It was all for the Leaf. I was training to protect the Leaf. That was my purpose. My goal. It wasn't forced on me. I wanted to do it. I wanted to be a ninja and protect the Leaf. I wanted to be useful. My instructors, though disappointed with me at times, encouraged me. They would mend my broken bones and bring me water. They would offer me words of kindness and ask after me. Though the training was hard, they were good to me. I cared about them. I wanted to make them proud."

Naruto turned his head to look at him. Karada's face was stern but he could see traces of pain and sadness in his eyes. He was remembering the hardships he had to face as well as the good times he shared with others.

He wasn't just training to be a ninja. He was doing it for them. He was trying to impress his fellow ninja. He wanted to be seen as useful in the eyes of his superiors. He wanted to make his teachers proud.

"I never gave up. I used my power and trained hard. Everything I did, I did for them and the Leaf. I was going to be great. Being as frail as I am, I had to find my own sense of worth. I wanted them to see me as someone important. Someone who mattered. Someone who could help."

To be respected.

"When I showed signs of improvement, I felt proud. My instructors praised me and I felt..." Karada closed his eyes tightly, his lower lip trembling. "I was important to them. I was an asset to the Leaf. I was recommended for several missions and tasks. I had a sense of self-worth I had never known before. I felt proud. Useful. Needed. I was no longer a burden to them. Someone who should have been given up on and tossed out with the trash. They no longer wanted to be rid of me. They saw me as someone important. Their praise was wonderful. Even when I wasn't in front of them, I would hear them talk highly of me. Say how useful I was. How great I was. How I would help the Leaf a great deal. The joy I felt upon hearing such words... It was far better than I could have ever imagined."

Just like Naruto, he wanted to be noticed. He wanted to be a great ninja and be useful to the village and not a burden. He was recognized as a ninja. Naruto could identify with him. He knew how it felt. He trained hard, too. He, too, wanted to be seen as important and no one would disrespect him again. They could look to him and be seen as a symbol of hope. Someone they could rely on.

Karada's face darkened. "And how do they repay me? They toss me in a cage!"

His cloth tentacle slapped Naruto across the face, sending him flying.

"For all my hard work and dedication, they imprison me! Just when I thought I was going to be useful to them! They gave me hope and then they do something like that!"

Karada's voice grew louder and more powerful. It made Naruto's body shake with fear. His instincts were telling him to run again but this time he didn't listen.

Karada's tentacles whipped the air and slapped the ground, sending dirt and leaves skyward.

"What was it all for?!" he bellowed with a voice unfitting for someone of his frame. "All that training..! Just to be wasted?! I worked hard to be of use, to be a ninja, and now I rot in a cell?!"

One of the cloths hit a tree with such force its roots lost their grip on the soil and started to tilt to one side. The tree groaned like a dying animal before finally falling a few feet from where Naruto lay.

"How dare they! They gave me hope! Praised me! Trained me! I worked hard! I tried to overcome! I trained! I improved! I became strong! I became what they wanted! And now that I am, they imprison me?! I'm just a pig for slaughter! Raise me, feed me, train me until the day comes that I spend the rest of my life in a cell! To hell with them all!"

Karada was right. It didn't make sense. If they wanted him to become strong, why lock him up when he finally became what they wanted? He was useless to them weak, but he was a threat to them strong. There was no winning.

There was no point. All his hard work and training, for nothing. Forced to spend the rest of his life in a cell because he finally became the kind of ninja they wanted.

Karada's scream echoed through the forest like an explosion. He was venting all of his rage from his throat, bellowing as loud as he could. He sounded like he was in agony. To Naruto, he looked like a tortured soul in need of saving. He couldn't hate Karada. Now that he knew what had happened and knew his past. Now that he saw him in such pain. Karada was a victim more than a threat as far as Naruto was concerned.

"I'm sorry!" Naruto yelled when Karada stopped to take a breath.

Karada panted and heaved. He turned to Naruto, sweat dripping down his face and saliva hanging from his lips. He looked a mess. When Naruto saw his eyes, he didn't see rage but the pleading eyes of someone in pain. He looked like a small child in need of help. Tears clung to his lashes but refused to fall, making him look even more pathetic.

"I'm sorry this happened to you," Naruto called to him. "I'm sorry that they did what they did. I'm sorry."

He had to let Karada know that he had a friend; someone who understood him and wanted to make things better. Perhaps by hearing someone apologize he would be more willing to listen.

Karada looked Naruto in the eye with that same sad expression on his face. Then, just as quickly, rage took over and he looked at Naruto with intense hatred. "You're sorry?!"

A cloth wrapped around Naruto's neck and dragged him out of the bush he was lying in.

"You're sorry?!" he repeated louder. "You?! I don't want your apology! I don't even want theirs. I want the Leaf to fall. I want to show them what I can do. I'll make everyone pay!"

"Even the people who didn't do anything to you?"

"They're all at fault as far as I'm concerned. They all belong to the Leaf and the Leaf imprisoned me."

"What you're doing makes no sense, though," Naruto choked out. He pulled against the cloth with both hands. "Who you're attacking... Going after the ones who threw you in a cell I can understand, but why the innocent? And why me? Me and my friends?"

Karada's voice quieted. "Why..?" he whispered without malice. He sounded confused. Then his eyes narrowed and his voice grew deeper with wrath. "Don't question me. I already told you that it's fun for me to go after you. Besides, it wasn't my instructors who made the call. It was the higher-ups who told them to lock me up. That I was a possible threat. They were just following orders."

"So you're not mad at them?"

"No, I'm mad. They didn't have to follow the orders." Karada's face changed again. The malice was gone and replaced by a look of pity. "Though as ninja, I know they have to follow the orders given to them. The higher-ups make the call and they carry it out. They couldn't go against direct orders from their superiors. Even I was trained to follow orders. I know it wasn't their fault."

His hands started to tremble and shake.

Karada's face changed back to a look of rage and his cloth coil slammed Naruto into the ground. "But I wish they hadn't! If there was ever a time to break an order and disobey, it was then! They knew how good I was. I could have been great! I could have really helped the village! Now..." His face darkened. "Now it is my enemy."

Naruto pulled his face out of the dirt coughing. In that moment, he had seen something important. It was as if Karada was at war with himself. Follow his training or his own desires. Karada was conflicted. Naruto could see that in the rapid changes in his face.

If he was truly under a kitsune curse, then perhaps it had something to do with that. The kitsune could have given him a duel-personality. No, that wasn't it. He seemed like the same person, only conflicted over what he should do. What if the kitsune had taken something away from Karada, in the same why Mikale took away Neji's sight, Shino's bugs and Shikamaru's genius mind? If that was the case, then what was taken from Karada?

He released Naruto from his coils and stepped back, panting again. He looked tired. Venting that much rage must have taken its toll on his frail body. Karada looked unsteady.

Naruto struggled to his knees. "Karada..." he said quietly so as not to provoke him. "I don't want to fight. So please..."

Karada lifted his head slightly, looking in Naruto's direction.

Even from here, Naruto could tell that Karada wouldn't last if they went another round. Even with the help of his fabric, he was very unsteady on his feet. If this fight continued, Karada's body might not be able to handle it. Naruto had to be careful not to damage Karada too much. They needed him to be able to remove the jutsu from everyone in the village.

"Please..."

Karada pulled away from Naruto. "Even if I don't fight you," he said, "I know plenty others who will."

He would send more of their friends after them. Naruto knew he would.

Using his fabric, Karada swung from branch to branch, leaving the area. He was in retreat.

Naruto stood up, sniffing the air. Karada was gone. But he would return. Next time with back-up.

Naruto clenched his fists and exhaled sharply. He would end this. Someday soon, he would stop Karada, defeat the kitsune and save his friends.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

Naruto found Sakura and Shikamaru in a ravine at the bottom of a steep hill overlooking a valley of flowers. They were hiding in a gap in the side of the hill near the flowers. The flowers were so fragrant Naruto almost couldn't smell his friends. This was a good hiding place.

"Are you two ok?"

"We're fine," said Shikamaru. "But Sakura cut her shoulder a little when I pulled her down here. I think it was from a branch or a thorn. Very minor."

Naruto looked at the small cut on her shoulder. It was very minor. Barely a step up from a paper-cut. There was hardly any blood at all. Just a thin line of red. It seemed like a waste of a bandage but Sakura was already looking for one in her bag.

Instinct took over and Naruto sat down beside her looking at the cut. He leaned forward and licked it.

"Ew! Hey!" Sakura punched Naruto in the face. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Cleaning it," Naruto answered.

"That's gross!" Naruto was in his human form so that made it even creepier. "You're supposed to wash it with clean water. Your disgusting spit is all over my arm now! Thanks a lot!"

"That's how I was taught!" Naruto snapped. "It actually works pretty well. The stinging stops and so does the bleeding. I was trying to do you a favor!"

Sakura was whimpering in disgust as she cleaned her arm off with a handkerchief she kept in the bottom of her bag. She knew Naruto was part fox now but since he was human when he did it she thought there was no excuse.

"He was trying to help," Shikamaru muttered to her.

"I still think it's gross."

Shikamaru looked at Naruto who was grumbling complaints to himself while pulling leaves off the flowers nearby. "So what happened with Karada?" he asked him.

"Huh?" Naruto looked up. "Oh, yeah. Karada. He ran off. But I gotta tell you something. He was acting kind of weird."

"Weird how?"

"When I was trying to reason with him, he started to... I don't know. It's like he agreed with me and was being understanding, but at the same time he was pissed off and wanted to stay mad. It's like he was conflicted. Part of him knew the ninja who imprisoned him were just doing their jobs and following orders from the higher-ups who ordered it, and another part of him wasn't as understanding and thought they should have disobeyed the order."

"Did he act like a different person? Like he had two sides?"

"Not exactly. I don't know what it was. But he was really upset."

"We heard him screaming from here," Shikamaru said. "We thought you were really hurting him."

"No," Naruto said quietly. "He's already in enough pain." Karada was suffering emotionally more than anything as far as Naruto was concerned.

Karada's screams had traveled this far. Tortured screams.

"There's another thing," Naruto went on. "You heard him yelling, right?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"I saw just how frail this guy can be," Naruto said. "After he was screaming and yelling and whipping me around, he looked like he was ready to fall over. He looks as frail as he is."

"His file did say that he lacked stamina," said Shikamaru. "In that sense, he should be easy to defeat." He frowned. "Although... There are two problems with that. We can't hurt him too bad because we need him to remove the jutsu he put on everyone. If he dies from injury or something, who knows what will happen to everyone in the village? Also, being as weak as he is and being aware of that himself, he's bound to keep people nearby to help protect him. We may be running into our friends the next time we meet. Or Karada is going to go into hiding to keep himself safe from harm. That could be an issue."

It seemed no matter what, there was going to be a problem. At least this time they had Shikamaru's genius. At the very least he was on their side. Naruto was thankful to have Shikamaru and Sakura with him. Not just for Shikamaru's genius or Sakura's medical knowledge and strength, but simply to have familiar faces with him. If he had to face this alone Naruto was certain he would not last. Even if they were few in numbers, at least he had friends with him.

Shikamaru looked at the darkening sky. "It's getting late. Karada's probably going to keep his distance after that. He shouldn't bother us again. Not in a weakened state. We still have to devise a plan to stop all this. If Sakura and I get anywhere near him, he could use that jutsu on us. We can't risk that. He's going to be very difficult to fight. So let's rest for now and come back to it in the morning. It will give me some time to think."

The others agreed.

"Please tell me you brought some supplies with you," asked Sakura. They were in such a hurry to get out of the village without being spotting that she once again failed to grab things from her home to take with her.

"If you were hoping for a tent, you're out of luck," Shikamaru told her. "I have a bottle of water with me and some snacks to eat on the road."

Water and dried fruit and vitamin supplements. That was it.

"You didn't even bring any rice balls or something?" Naruto whined.

"Those were eaten already." Shikamaru gestured to the forest. "At least there's fruit on the trees over there. We're not going to starve."

Naruto looked at the plants growing all around them. Shikamaru had a point.

"Here is safe enough," Shikamaru said as he found a place to lie down near the flowers. "It will offer us some cover as well."

Sakura was a little disappointed about their arrangements but she had been in tough situations before. Getting some rest now was the only thing they could do until a plan was made. "Guess we'll talk it over in the morning." She settled down next to Shikamaru.

Their bodies were hidden from sight by the flowers and tall grass. This offered them more inconspicuous cover than a tent.

Naruto did not join them. He climbed up the hill to take a look around. He was going to keep watch.

As he scanned the area, he tried to come up with his own plan. A plan wasn't forming. All he kept thinking about was the situation they were in and all the problems that came with it. Their friends had turned against them, their home was no longer safe, the man responsible for this was being manipulated by the kitsune they were looking for who had yet to be seen. Their true enemy was the kitsune, but Karada was also a threat and a difficult one at that. Not just for his jutsu and the issues with that whole situation, but the fact that he was a hostage and an enemy at the same time.

Knowing Karada's past and situation, Naruto couldn't be completely angry with him. It wasn't all his fault. He had to wonder, though, if Karada was doing this only because a kitsune was making him or because he also wanted revenge against the Leaf for what they did to him. Did he want any part of this at all? Did he truly wish to attack the village? What exactly was Karada's curse? What did the kitsune do to him?

Naruto slept off and on that night. He had to keep his two remaining friends safe.

Well, two human friends.

Naruto rested his chin on his arm and looked at the sky. He remembered sitting on the edge of the cliff overlooking the town and howling at the sky with Ryosuke and the other kitsune. They were his friends, too. He missed them with all his heart.

He wondered what Ryosuke was doing right now. He hoped his fox friends were doing alright. Especially Seki. Wherever he was.

* * *

Deep in the forest, Karada lay on his mattress made of fabric, recovering from his earlier outburst. Screaming that much had taken a toll on his body. Venting so much had really worn him out. Ino offered to treat any injuries he may have but he refused treatment. He wasn't injured. Just tired.

Though his body may have been frail, he had actually gotten stronger through his years of training and passing time in his cell. Screaming at the top of his lungs and venting his rage had caused him to get lightheaded. It wasn't his body that was the issue. He just vented too much and worn himself out.

"I want to speak with the others," Karada said quietly. His voice was still sore from screaming. "Send them to me."

Ino went into the forest to summon the people Karada wanted. Five ninja appeared in front of him with their heads bowed in silent respect.

"You know what I expect, correct?"

"Yes, sir," they answered.

"Good." Karada sat up to look at them. "You all have your jobs. You two, head to your location."

Yamato and the ninja at his side nodded. "Yes, sir." The two leapt away.

"And you two," Karada addressed the two ninja directly in front of him with their heads still bowed low. "Head to the Sand. I will join you once everything is prepared."

"Yes, sir." The ninja vanished.

Karada looked to the one ninja remaining. "Come here, Sai."

Sai approached, keeping his head bowed.

"I have a special job for you." Karada touched Sai's forehead with his bare hand. "You and I both worked with Danzo for a time. You were trained by ANBU. We have so much in common." His hand traveled down to Sai's chin. He tilted Sai's head up with his fingers so their eyes met. Karada smiled. "So you will be my special project."

* * *

Sakura woke up the next morning to find Shikamaru watching Naruto sitting on the hill, his head slowly rotating to scan the area with his eyes. Naruto was in his fox form.

"Has he been doing that all night?" Sakura asked in a whisper.

"Not sure. He must have been keeping watch over us." Shikamaru called to Naruto. "Get over here. We have to talk."

Naruto looked over his shoulder for a moment to acknowledge him, then faced forward again, looking into the forest. After another minute, Naruto stood up and turned away from the trees to head back to his friends. He sat between them, still in fox form.

"Why did you hesitate?" Sakura asked.

"I wanted to make sure it was safe to talk." He looked at Shikamaru. "So what's the plan?"

"That's the problem. I don't have one yet. I'm still at a loss. Any plan I come up with has consequences or involve sacrifice."

"Like what?"

Shikamaru explained. "Everything focuses on the kitsune. He's the top of the chain. He's the one linking everything else together. We stop him, we stop everything. The problem is that we have no idea where he is. We can't find him and Naruto can't sniff him out since we've never met him before so there's no scent we can work with. He's going to want to keep away from the action and work from afar. He's working through Karada. That much I know for sure."

"I was thinking," said Sakura, "that it's a little strange that the kitsune would go through so much trouble to attack the Leaf. Why not just use his curse on everyone? Why use Karada to do it?"

"I think it's so he can keep safe. Kitsune are also tricky. Naruto said so himself and we've seen it before. I think he wanted to fool us into thinking Karada was the threat so he could sneak under the radar. We're going to be focusing on Karada and forget about him, or just not know about him all together. I also think that aside from wanting to stay hidden, he also couldn't use his curse on so many people without getting himself in danger as well. He must know what Mikale went through and what happened to him. Humans can kill foxes after all, so he must be worried about that. And there's one more thing. I think he's doing it this way because he wants to torment Naruto."

"Why me?"

"Because you are an ally of those good kitsune. Because of that, these vindictive kitsune want you to suffer. A good way to do that is to leave you without a single friend and have those friends attack you. That's torture for you, isn't it? That must be a part of what they're doing."

"A part?" said Sakura.

"I keep thinking that there's something else that's going on. It can't be that simple. Their whole reason for attacking Naruto was to lure the good kitsune out of the mountain. They want the good ones to come to Naruto's rescue, thus leaving the mountain open to attack." Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his head. "The problem is that these are kitsune. Not humans. Naruto advised me to think like a fox because that's what we're dealing with. However, I'm not exactly sure how to do that. A kitsune is an animal but they do have human intellect. It's very complicated."

Naruto's ears flicked. Something in the grass was moving.

He crouched low, preparing to spring. It wasn't big enough to be a human. It was smaller. His eyes focused on the grass and flowers. Since he couldn't see what was there, he focused on the area around it. When the grass moved, he knew where to strike. He shot off the ground and dove into the grass, mouth agape.

Shikamaru and Sakura watched with held breath. They had no idea what he had found.

When Naruto returned, he had a bird in his jaws. He dropped it in front of them and smiled. "Breakfast!"

Shikamaru and Sakura looked at each other.

* * *

After a light breakfast of bird and whatever else they could find, they started traveling again.

Shikamaru was still trying to think of a plan of attack. If they attacked Karada directly, it could pose a huge problem. They could end up getting hit with Karada's jutsu, he could use their friends as a shield or they could seriously injure him and the jutsu he placed on all their friends could not be broken. The last thing they wanted was for it to be irreversible.

Karada wasn't their true enemy, but he was a huge problem they had to deal with. Shikamaru was still worried that even after the kitsune was dealt with, Karada would still refuse to remove the jutsu he had everyone under. Karada could still be a threat after all this was over.

Though Naruto was deeply troubled before, now he was running through the forest, chasing butterflies and climbing trees. When a squirrel scampered across the ground in front of him, Naruto chased after it. Even following it up a tree and into another one. He was laughing, having a great time.

"Hey, Sakura," Shikamaru said softly while Naruto was distracted.

"Yeah?"

"Have you noticed that Naruto is..."

"Acting like a fox? Yeah, I noticed." Sakura looked troubled. "I was worried before, but things seemed to be ok for a while. It hasn't really come up for a while so..."

"I couldn't help but notice that Naruto's instincts are different from his transformations."

"How do you mean?" she asked.

"For example, when Naruto changes into a fox, or at least partway without meaning to, he's either excited, startled or angry. When his instincts kick in, it's completely random. With his transformations, we know the trigger. His instincts, not so much."

Sakura never noticed that before. "You're right. Sometimes they kick in and other times they don't. It's not consistent. There are times when he's by the river and doesn't do anything. Other times, he tries to fish with his teeth." She gave Shikamaru a worried look. "You don't think that's going to be a problem, do you?"

"Not yet. Just an observation."

Sakura sighed. "When Sai was hit with that jutsu, Naruto told us to run. Normally, he would have fought with us without question. But his animal half told him to run. If that hadn't happened, I might not be here. We might have all gotten hit with that jutsu. Naruto's warning saved us. It was smart to run. It was the right thing to do."

Shikamaru nodded. "I always try to avoid conflict. Mostly because I'm too lazy to deal with it. Other times it's because I think it's the right thing to do. Some people say it's cowardly to run from a fight. In some cases, it's the right thing to do. To not be a coward, you would have all been hit with that jutsu. To be a coward, you were safe. So I don't think he was being a coward. I think he was being smart. His animal instincts saved him and you."

Sometimes, Naruto did have to know when to run and when to fight. Picking battles was difficult for someone like him. He never backed down from a challenge and may not in the future.

"I was thinking about what Naeruto said before when we were cursed," Shikamaru went on. "He said there were times when even he didn't know which side was coming out, human or fox. It's not as obvious as it is with his transformations. It's muddled. Sometimes I think it's both sides at once. Other times, I can't tell one way or another. But honestly, I don't think it's really a bad thing. I know it had Naruto concerned for a while and maybe he still is deep down. But I think he shouldn't worry about it. I mean, even kitsune look out for each other. So is being one really all that bad? I don't think it'll-"

"Change him?" Sakura finished for him. "I know. He was worried about that and told me he was scared he was becoming... not him. You know? But I talked to him and I think he's coping well. I don't think it's really bothering him anymore."

"Good."

When it came down to it, kitsune weren't too different from humans. Naruto wasn't becoming a different person. He was the same Naruto as ever. He just had paws. He always had a playful side and liked to pull pranks. Maybe he was a kitsune at heart. He certainly got along well with him. Even though Seki was afraid of humans, he was still willing to meet Naruto's friends. After meeting them, Seki was comfortable enough to speak with them directly. Maybe someday, they would meet the rest of the mountain kitsune.

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Uh-oh."

"What?"

"Naruto!"

Shikamaru's sudden yell caused Naruto to flinch and let the lizard in his paws go. His head swiveled around and his ears perked up, facing Shikamaru's direction.

"I think I know what their next move is. I know what they're planning."

Naruto came rushing over. "Yeah? Yeah?"

"Remember how when we were sneaking into the village, we came across very few ninja? We thought it was just a trap. That Karada was expecting us because he showed up soon after. And we're all ninja. It wouldn't be too difficult for us to hide. But I'm starting to think the real reason why we came across so few people was because they weren't there. They were heading somewhere else."

"Where?"

"Their goal isn't the Leaf. It's just a side target to lure the kitsune away from the real target. Their primary objective is the mountain. That's why the kitsune are doing all of this. They want that mountain. But if Ryosuke and the other good ones won't leave and the enemy kitsune are too weak to take them all on, they would need an army."

Sakura understood what Shikamaru was getting at. "They're planning to use our friends to attack the mountain!"

"Exactly."

It all made sense. If the evil kitsune weren't able to overthrow Ryosuke and take over the mountain by themselves, then they would need an army to do it. The remaining kitsune was using Karada to use the ninja at the Leaf Village to attack the mountain. Ninja were highly skilled and would be able to attack and kill kitsune. Because they wore the same headband Naruto wore, the mountain kitsune might assume that they were friends of Naruto's and not attack, thus leaving them open to be attacked themselves. They would be unsuspecting. Not to mention a whole army of them attacking the mountain would be difficult for even Ryosuke's group to handle. With the town being so close to the mountain, it was possible that the innocent people could be caught up in the mess.

"We have to get there and stop them!" Naruto's four legs were pumping with energy. He was ready to run and was about to when Shikamaru stopped him.

"How?" he asked. "It's just us against an army of our friends. They have skills, too. Plus, they're under someone else's command. What if Karada is there, too? We could get the jutsu put on us next if we're not careful."

"And it's just a theory," Sakura said. "Karada has never been out of his cell before this. He wouldn't know where the mountain is. Neither do the other ninja under his command."

"What about Neji?" asked Naruto. "And Sai. They were both on the mission with us. They know where the mountain is, and they're both under Karada's control."

"You're right!" Sakura gasped. "They know! And they could have told Karada where it was!" She turned to Shikamaru. "We have to go there. There's a town just under the mountain. The people there won't know what's coming. They'll be right in the middle of the attack."

Shikamaru weighed the options in his head. He considered every possibility. He considered their own safety and the safety of his friends and the people of the Leaf. "At this point... I'm starting to think it would be easier for everyone to let the bad kitsune take the mountain."

"What?!" Naruto barked. "You're not serious, are you?!"

"Naruto, look around!" Shikamaru gestured wildly to the forest. "It's just the three of us against everyone else. Kitsune are a force we're not used to dealing with and they are powerful. They're tricky. Karada is powerful, too, because of this jutsu. If the bad kitsune want the mountain, then they can have it. It's not worth all this. We can bargain with the enemy. Agree to leave them the mountain in exchange for our friends and the village's safety. Everything will be as it was before. The village will be left alone, there won't be a huge battle, which at this point looks like it would be impossible to win with just us. We should just cut our losses and-"

"And what about Ryosuke?!" Naruto snapped. "What about him and the other kitsune in the mountain?! Just leave them?"

"They won't be harmed either. If we negotiate, we can have it so the kitsune on either side will not be harmed. All they want is the mountain."

"It's their home!"

"Is it worth all this, Naruto?!" Shikamaru yelled at him. "It's just a stupid mountain. Plenty more like it. They can find a new place to live!"

"No!" Naruto could not accept that. He knew the kitsune better than Shikamaru and he knew that their home was precious to them. To them it wasn't just another mountain. There was something special about home. It couldn't be replaced.

"Naruto, be reasonable."

"No! You don't understand! Ryosuke and the others talked about leaving the mountain before when Reevo and the hunters were a problem. They couldn't leave. Their friends were still cursed and if they left the mountain, they would be abandoning their friends."

"But, Naruto," said Sakura, "now that Reevo is gone, the curse was lifted and everyone is ok. They don't have to stay there anymore."

"They were born on that mountain," Naruto went on. "Their ancestors lived and died there. That mountain was always their home. It was theirs before the humans came along and built their town. It's their home! It's theirs."

Shikamaru and Sakura didn't look convinced. To them, the kitsune were just intelligent animals who could live anywhere. They were different. The mountain wasn't their home, therefore they didn't care for it in the same way the kitsune did. It wasn't important to them.

"How would you feel if someone came along and ordered us to leave the Leaf because they wanted it?" Naruto asked. "Are you guys going to just pack up and leave the village because it would avoid conflict? Because someone said so?"

The Leaf was important to them. It was their home.

"The mountain is their home and it's as important to them as the Leaf is to us. We're not going to abandon our home, are we?"

They couldn't expect the kitsune to leave their home if they were not willing to leave theirs. Sakura was not about to leave her home behind and look for a new place to live. The Leaf was her home. Her family lived there, her room with all her belongings, her friends, her favorite places to eat. It was where she grew up. She didn't want to leave. Shikamaru felt the same way. Where would he go? What would his family do?

Leaving was not an option.

"In either case, the bad kitsune want the mountain to torment the humans in the town." Naruto remembered that was one of the reasons the bad kitsune wanted it. "Are we going to force them out, too? And if we do, the bad kitsune are just going to follow them."

"He's right," Shikamaru said. "If the humans are part of the reason they want it, then the kitsune would probably follow the humans to wherever they go. So if the humans go back to the mountain when the bad kitsune leave, the bad kitsune would go back to the mountain. Then if the humans leave again, they'll leave the mountain and follow them. It'll be an endless game of tag. There's no way it will work."

"So we agree?" Naruto asked, hopeful. "We go to the mountain to help?"

"What do you think?" Sakura looked at Shikamaru. She wanted to go to the mountain to help but Shikamaru had to agree with the decision. He would be able to come up with the best plans and way to approach the situation.

After a minute of thought, Shikamaru nodded his head. "Alright. We'll go to the mountain. The people in the town will be in danger if we don't. We have to help out. Besides, what kind of message is it sending if we let the enemy do whatever they want because they made a few threats? We can't let them have their way."

"Yes!" Naruto was excited and happy. He was happy to see the kitsune again, and he was pumped up for the fight that would surely await them. "Let's go!" Naruto started running.

"Naruto!" Sakura called after him. "Do you even know where you're going?"

* * *

Back to the mountain!

Please review! ^-^


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:**

The trio traveled constantly until they came to the outskirts of the village. They stopped at the wooden sign with the name Ayahuasca scrawled across it for passing travelers. Naruto wanted to keep going, but his friends told him to wait and watch.

"But we're so close," he whined.

"We have to be smart about this," said Shikamaru. "Since we're hopelessly outnumbered, we have to be very careful and think of a way to approach this without disaster."

"Can I at least see how things look in the town?" He wanted to make sure the town wasn't in the middle of a massive war.

Shikamaru motioned to the forest. "Through there." Using the trees for cover, they would be able to see into the town without being spotted themselves.

Peering through the trees, they could see the town. It was the middle of the night so everything was in shadow. Naruto could see quite clearly but even his eyes could not spot any danger. Everything looked safe. He started to feel relieved, thinking Shikamaru was mistaken. While they were here, he could see Ryosuke and the others for himself and catch up with them. Such a happy thought made his tail wag.

Only sightly. His gut was telling him that there was danger in the area though he couldn't see it.

Come to think of it, if the town was under attack by ninja, they would know how to do it quietly. The ninja might not be so easy to spot.

"What's the plan?" Sakura whispered.

Shikamaru was still scanning the town below. It looked so peaceful nestled at the bottom of the steep hill and guarded by the mountain adjacent. The top of the mountain seemed to be holding up the moon hanging low in the sky. Such a lovely sight would be ruined by a sudden battle.

He was sure it would happen, but so far nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "So far, it's hard to tell what we should do. If their goal is the mountain, it's possible our friends are already there. We just can't see them. I'm not sure if they're going to attack the mountain directly or use the town to their advantage. They could attack the town to lure the kitsune out or hold it hostage. Or even as a distraction."

Naruto sniffed the air, trying to catch a scent but all he could smell were plants.

"I can't tell if an attack has already started yet or not. We may be the first ones here but I wouldn't bet on it," Shikamaru went on. "I think Naruto should use his Shadow Clones to circle the town, as a kind of human wall. But Naruto's in his fox form so he'll have to change. And it all depends if Naruto can stay human for more than a few minutes. If he can do that, we might be able to trap any ninja wandering in. I can use my shadows since it's a clear enough night. The moon helps a lot. Sakura, I think you should-"

Naruto suddenly sprang from his hiding place and down the hill.

"Where is he going?" Sakura stood up.

"Oh, for the love of..." If this was Naruto's fox instincts kicking in, it would hinder the whole plan. This was a situation where it would make everything worse.

Naruto stopped at the base of the hill and stood on his human legs. He changed back into his human form. He stood perfectly still, staring straight ahead.

Sakura followed after him while Shikamaru stayed behind. "What were you thinking, Naruto? Why did you do that?"

"I don't feel right." Naruto knew it was his fox half speaking to him. Warning him that something bad was going to happen. Though he couldn't fully understand what they were telling him, he knew he had to move away from that area and into the town. He didn't know why, but he had to. There was something here that needed his attention.

Was it his desire to see Ryosuke and the other kitsune? He did feel drawn to them. Were they near? He wanted to see them so much, but that wasn't it. This felt different.

Naruto gave into his feelings and let them control his human body. He knew they would take him to where he needed to go.

They told him to squat down. He bent his knees and crouched on the ground like an animal though he was still in his human form. He was being pulled in a certain direction. He followed. Walking on all fours, Naruto went to the houses in town.

Sakura followed him curiously. She felt like she was following a dog on a scent. Naruto walking on all fours like this was more than a little odd. He had done this before but she was still getting used to it.

Naruto sniffed the ground and the buildings. Something didn't feel right. His nose wasn't picking anything up but he felt strange. He was sensing something but not with his nose. It was a feeling. He moved around the building, keeping low to the ground.

He could smell wood, but being so close to the forest and considering half the buildings were made of wood it shouldn't have been odd. It felt that way, though. It felt odd.

Sakura stayed quiet as she followed him. If he was on to something, she didn't want to distract him.

Naruto stopped, nose twitching. He smelled ink. He smelled wood.

Naruto stood on his two legs. Something was on the other side of this house. As he moved, he sensed something else. It wasn't just on the other side. It was under it, too. Naruto dropped to the ground and looked at the dirt. His eyes focused on where the building met the earth.

Though everything was in shadow, he saw something stand out from the rest of the darkness. It smelled like ink. Growling, Naruto reached forward and grabbed at the shadow. It was a long snake made of ink. It hissed and twisted in his grasp. Naruto clenched it tightly in both hands and tore it apart. The snake exploded and melted into a puddle of ink.

"Sai's here," Naruto told Sakura.

"Which means other ninja must be here as well." Sakura looked around for them. They might have been on rooftops or hiding elsewhere. "We should tell Shikamaru. He's all by himself."

Naruto stood up, snarling. He was looking at the roof.

Knowing there was an enemy, Sakura pulled out a kunai.

With a growl, Naruto pounced. He jumped onto the roof and saw Sai standing in front of him holding something in his hand. "Sai!"

He turned slowly to acknowledge him. Sai's face showed no emotion. It seemed he didn't care one way or another that Naruto was calling out to him.

Worried for his friend, Naruto spoke to him in a pleading tone. "Sai... please..."

Sai faced him but did nothing else.

"Please, Sai. It's me. I know you know who I am."

He did but whether he cared was up to debate.

Sai held up the object in his hand. It was a piece of wood. He held it like a torch but it wasn't lit. Sai locked eyes with Naruto then pulled something out from behind his back. It was a lighter.

"Sai..?"

He set the wood in his hand ablaze then put the lighter away.

"Sai, what are you doing?"

Without a word, Sai tossed the wood over his shoulder and onto the roof of the house behind him where it ignited at once. The roof was engulfed in flames.

"Sai!"

Seeing the fire, Sakura rushed to put it out. There was a dog dish on the ground full of water. It would have to do for now. Sakura tossed the water onto the fire but it did not go out. The fire started to spread and grow higher.

"Oil base ink," Sai answered her unasked question. "The fire will spread if you try to put it out that way."

Frantic, Sakura had to get the family out of there as quickly as possible. Luring them outside might have been what Sai wanted, but she had no time to think about that. She had to save them from the fire. Sakura kicked the door down and rushed inside.

"Sai, why would you do that?" Naruto tried to get through to him but Sai didn't show any feelings one way or another. He didn't seem to care that he was about to roast a family alive in their beds. Using oil meant that he didn't want the fire to be put out. He wanted it to spread and he wanted to make it difficult to put out.

The family started to hurry out of the house, confused and frightened. When they saw the flames, they gasped in horror and tried to find water to out out the blaze. Sakura advised them not to do that but to instead get dirt to put out the flames.

As they scrambled around, Sai took out his blade and got ready to strike. He was going to attack them while they focused on the fire. Sai stood on the edge of the roof and bent his knees, preparing to spring.

"Sai, no!" Naruto ran and tackled him. The two went tumbling off the roof and onto the ground. "Don't do it, Sai! Whatever Karada ordered you to do, don't!"

Sai elbowed Naruto in the stomach and pried him off his back. Naruto tried to kick the knife from his hand but Sai was just out of reach. Instead of going after the family, he turned his weapon on Naruto. He forced Naruto onto his back and sat on top of him. Pressing his knees into Naruto's shoulders, he plunged the blade straight down. Naruto caught the blade between his palms and held it in place. Sai raised himself up on his knees and forced the tip down, putting his weight behind the hilt. Naruto managed to turn the blade slightly to one side, letting it cut into his shoulder instead of his neck.

He slapped the blade with the back of his hand, knocking it aside. Sai, still putting his weight behind it, fell forward as it came out from under him. He put out his arm to steady himself and Naruto grabbed him.

"Stop this, Sai! You're hurting your friends!"

Sai punched Naruto in the face with his other hand. Naruto held onto Sai's sleeve, refusing to let go. Sai punched him again and pulled his arm free.

He wasn't trying to run. He just needed his arms free to pound Naruto mercilessly. He pulled his fist back and punched him. He pulled back for another go. He punched Naruto several times before Naruto punched back.

"I mean it, Sai! Stop!"

Sai closed his hands around Naruto's neck, choking him. He was going to strangle Naruto to death. Naruto pulled on Sai's hands but he wasn't letting go. Sai had such strength. Naruto grew claws and scratched at Sai's fingers. Sai pressed his thumbs into Naruto's throat, cutting off air.

Naruto thrashed and kicked but Sai wasn't budging. His basic instinct was telling him to live, human and fox. In order to do that, he had to get Sai off him, in any way possible. Naruto dug his claws into Sai's wrists and pushed away from him, forcing Sai's hands back only a fraction of an inch. Sai was too strong and from this angle, he had the advantage.

Sakura was too busy helping the family to help him. Naruto was on his own.

This situation reminded Naruto of when he and Ryosuke fought on the mountain. Naruto was pinned then, too. The only way to get Ryosuke away from him was to...

Naruto bent his knees and lifted his legs up as far as he could. Sai was still on his stomach so it was difficult. Naruto managed to bring his feet up and under Sai's chest and pushed. Naruto extended his legs as far as he could and threw Sai off. Sai was thrown back and rolled.

Naruto sat up and got to his feet. He wasn't leaving Sai for a minute. He gave into his feelings again and continued the fight. He swiped at Sai's face with his claws, snarling like an animal. Sai jumped back to avoid him and drew a kunai to defend himself. Sai charged forward and rammed into Naruto's chest with his shoulder. Naruto wasn't going down again. He wrapped his legs around Sai's waist and dug his claws into Sai's shoulders.

With Naruto hanging onto his front, Sai lost his balance and fell forward. They rolled together, one on top of the other until they finally came apart. Naruto rushed at Sai again, but Sai picked up his knife and swiped it across Naruto's face.

"Hah!" Naruto stumbled back, holding his cheek. He took his hand away and examined the blood on his fingers. Sai had cut him. Sai moved in for another attack. He slashed left and right, leaving Naruto to dodge. Naruto ducked and stepped aside, then shoved the weapon aside and slammed his head into Sai's chest. Sai kicked him and Naruto bit him.

Sai twisted his hand around and stabbed Naruto in the side with his blade. Naruto yelped in pain and pulled away. Sai pulled his weapon free and came at Naruto again. Naruto turned into his hybrid form and threw himself into Sai's attack. He dug his teeth and claws into Sai's body, refusing to let him go. The pain in his side stung and weakened his grip. Sai pushed Naruto off and moved in to stab him again.

This time, Sakura was able to come to his rescue. She pushed Sai off him and reached down to help Naruto up. He pushed her aside and ran at Sai on all fours. He tackled Sai and the two went down. They rolled into another house and a board of wood fell on top of them as they bumped into it. Neither of them noticed and continued to fight.

Naruto sank his teeth into Sai's arm, closing his jaw as tight as he could. Blood gushed from the wound and poured into his mouth. Sai clubbed Naruto over the head with his fist. Naruto wouldn't let him go.

Sai stopped hitting him for a moment then slapped him in the back of the head. That seemed like a weak attack. Even Naruto was confused by the action. He knew Sai wasn't giving up.

Sakura shrieked. "Naruto! Bomb!"

Naruto's eyes went wide. It was a paper bomb Sai had fastened to his head. Naruto released Sai and jumped away. If the bomb went off, Sai would get caught in the blast. Naruto knew that, but the main reason he moved away from Sai was so that he could remove the bomb from his head. It was already starting to sizzle. He tore it off his head and quickly buried it in the ground. Naruto was able to dig quickly as a fox.

The hole wasn't deep enough to render it completely harmless. When it went off, the explosion, though muffled and slight, left a hole in the ground the size and depth of a small bucket.

Naruto turned his attention back to Sai. His face was still expressionless. He was completely cold and uncaring. Almost like the first time they fought in the village, only then Sai would at least taunt him a little by smiling and calling attention to his family jewels. None of that this time around. Naruto was almost sad to say he missed that.

Sai's eyes wandered to the buildings around them then back at Naruto.

Knowing Sai had done something, Naruto looked away to see what was around them. There were paper bombs attached to all the homes nearby. That must have been what Naruto was sensing before in addition to Sai's ink snake. He was sensing the bombs.

"Sakura!" Naruto pointed to the houses. The bombs were starting to spark and sizzle. If they tried to remove them now, their hands might get blown off when the detonated.

One by one, the bombs went off and erupted in flames which quickly spread to the rest of the buildings. That was why Sai's ink snake was so close to the building. He must have made more ink animals with oil based ink and set them up in areas that would catch fire when the bombs went off. He was planning to destroy all the homes and make it next to impossible to put out the blaze.

As the explosions went off, Sai took this opportunity to make his escape. Sai drew a bird with ink that was not oil based and rode it far from the flaming town.

"Get the people out!" Sakura shouted to Naruto.

He quickly changed back into his human self and summoned multiple clones, sending them to the blazing home to help the people escape. Most of the people made it out with the clones but as soon as Naruto started to feel distressed, his clones vanished and his fox ears and tail appeared. Naruto and Sakura had to get to the other buildings and make sure the people made it out safely.

The people unwittingly started to try to put out the fire with water which only made the flames worse. When Sakura saw what they were doing, she told them to stop and use dirt instead to put out the blaze. Not all the homes were tagged with paper bombs. The idea must have been to create a fire just big enough and have it spread to the other homes as the flames grew bigger and more out of control.

"Where's Shikamaru?" Naruto shouted over the panicking townspeople.

"I don't know!" Sakura helped a child out of a broken window and over to his hysterical mother. "He must see the fire from where he was. Maybe he ran into trouble of his own."

"But we can't go back and help him. The people need us here!"

"I know that."

A woman started screaming. Her screams carried to one person then another. When Naruto and Sakura approached, they saw several Leaf ninja attacking the people as they left their homes.

"It was a trap!" Sakura cried. "If the people don't parish in the blaze, they'll leave their homes to get cut down by ninja!"

"That's just plain cruel!"

Several of their friends were part of the attack. They pounced on the townspeople from rooftops and trees to attack. Kiba was chasing a couple little boys and Shino chased the girls with his bugs. Neji jumped from behind a building and jabbed an adult who tried to help save the children. He jabbed a woman with his fingers when she tried to protect her own children. When a man tried to stop him, Neji turned on him next and slammed him into the ground.

"Stop! Stop!" Sakura pleaded with them but it was no use. "We have to fight our friends again. This is just awful."

Naruto sensed the wind change and pulled Sakura back.

"Leaf Hurricane!" Lee came falling from above and tore apart the ground with his attack. As soon as his eyes settled on a target, it became a victim of his wrath. He attacked two men who tried to escape and then after a teenager who tried to protect his little sister.

Unable to stand back for a second more, Naruto dove into the fray and bit Lee on the shoulder. He had to stop him any way that he could. Lee was too strong for these people to handle. After all, Lee was able to hold his own against Gaara for a while during their exams.

Lee bent forward and threw Naruto over his back. Now in front of him, Lee started to box with Naruto, jabbing left and right at lightning speed.

"Ow! Lee, st- Ow! Stop it!"

Lee wasn't listening.

This was going to go on forever unless something was done. If they couldn't protect the villagers and take on all their friends at once, then they had to even the odds. What they needed was more numbers. Or distractions.

"Fox fire!"

Several illusions appeared in front of Lee. He couldn't tell which was Naruto. They all looked like him. He punched at the air, thinking he was hitting the real thing. Other illusions of panicking people ran from the attacking ninja, luring them away from the real people cowering near the burning buildings.

Neji was the only one not fooled. He could see that those illusions were not solid people and instead went after the real ones. He threw a child to the ground and stood over him, ready to strike.

"The hell you will!" Naruto kicked Neji in the stomach and away from the child. "Knock it off, Neji! I know you wouldn't really hurt little kids."

Neji came at Naruto, jabbing left and right with his hands. Naruto dodged every blow.

"Enough! I know you're not like this! You really want to attack innocent people if Karada orders you to?"

He kept jabbing. It seemed Neji was not listening to a single word Naruto was saying.

This wasn't Neji. He was never this unreasonable. These were not his friends.

What had Karada done to them?

Neji bashed his head against Naruto's and threw him to the ground. Naruto spun his body around, kicking Neji's ankles and knocking him off his feet. Neji got back up as quickly as he fell and stomped on Naruto's knee. Naruto felt it crack and yelped in pain. Neji jabbed Naruto in the side as he tried to get up. That made the wound in his side from Sai's blade bleed again. Naruto hadn't noticed it until now. He cupped a hand over the wound and felt blood.

"You can't fool my eyes with your tricks, fox fool." Neji moved in to attack again.

Thinking fast, Naruto squeezed his wounds tightly, forcing blood into his hand. As Neji came close, Naruto quickly flicked his hand, sending blood into Neji's eyes.

Blinded, Neji staggered back, his eyes shut tight. He hunched over, rubbing the blood from his eyes. This gave Naruto enough time to get away.

Naruto looked around. The townspeople were either running or still trying to put out the fires. Sakura was helping them, but there was still no sign of Shikamaru. Naruto looked around for other ninja in the area. Without concentration, his illusions would fade away. In order to maintain them, he had to stay focused. Fighting Neji had caused his illusions to disappear. However, he could not see his ninja friends anywhere.

They must have run off. The only place they had to be would be the mountain. "They must be heading there." Naruto looked around to make sure he wasn't heading into another trap.

There were several fires but most of them were being handled. There were flames in the distance toward the farm.

Gasping, Naruto broke into a run. He had one animal friend in this town who wasn't a fox. He had to save Jack from the fire.

Naruto jumped over the fence and onto the farm. The vegetables were unharmed and the farmer was nowhere in sight. As a human, he had little to worry about in that department. He went straight for the stables. The edge of the roof was on fire but little else. This would be easy to put out. Naruto dumped as much dirt as he could onto the flames until there was nothing left but smoke.

"Jack?" Naruto called, hoping his horse friend was still there. "Jack?"

"Naruto?" The horse stuck his head out of his stable and looked in his direction. Jack was thrilled to see him. "Oh, Naruto! It's been so long! Why are you here? I thought you left some months ago."

"I did," Naruto answered.

Jack looked at Naruto's fox ears. "Are you a kitsune again? Is that why you can understand me?"

"Yeah. Long story. Seki came to help me out and gave me my kitsune powers back. There's an enemy who's after the mountain and they came to my village because I'm friends with Ryosuke and attacked me and my friends. Now the bad guys are using my friends to attack the town and the mountain."

"That's terrible!" Jack could not see from where he was but Naruto knew he was trying to see the mountain on the other side of the wooden stable. "Is Ryosuke alright? What about Seki and the others?"

Just as Naruto remembered, Jack was deeply concerned for his fox friends.

"I don't know," he told the horse. "I haven't been up there yet. But I know they're under attack. And if my friends are up there, Ryosuke and the others might think they're friends and not know they're a threat. The enemy is basically controlling them."

Jack thumped the stable door with his hooves. "You must go help them! Please keep them safe."

"What about you?" Naruto asked. "If I leave you in the stable, it might get caught on fire again."

Thinking quick, Naruto flipped the latch on the stable door and released Jack from his wooden prison.

The door swung open but Jack did not move. He gave Naruto a confused and unsure look of surprise.

"This way you can run to safety if anything happens. You're free."

"Free?" Jack said softly. He looked at the open door and at the ground connected to the farm. "Only the farmer has ever let me out before... And I have never left the farm."

"If a fire happens, you might have to. This way you can run."

Jack continued to stare at the ground. Tentatively, he eased his way out of the stable and under the open sky. He stretched his long neck up to look at the sky. He had never seen it so open before at night. He could only see the stars from the tiny window in his stall. The view didn't offer him much. Like this, he could see much more. Even the mountain behind him. He turned his whole body to look at it. So this was how it looked at night.

"Naruto..."

"Yeah?"

"Take me with you."

Naruto blinked. "You want to come with me?"

"Please," Jack begged. "This is my only chance. I wasn't able to do it before, but now I can. Please! I don't have to beg you from behind my stall to do my own desires for me. I can actually do it myself."

When Naruto had first met Jack, he was sad that he was unable to help his fox friends, being trapped in his stable stall. He had to ask Naruto to do everything for him. For once, he could actually do it for himself. That was what Jack wanted more than anything. He could do something for once.

The kitsune had the freedom to come visit him on the farm but Jack could not visit them in the mountain. The only time he could ever see them was when they came to him. After the offerings had returned, the kitsune were not able to come down from the mountain as often to see him, as per their agreement. It was rare for Jack to see them now. Jack must have missed them just as much as Naruto did and wanted to see them more than ever.

A desire to see them, a desire to help. How could Naruto refuse? Not only that, but a horse could be of good use in this situation. He could help carry the injured townspeople away quickly. Jack could really help them.

Naruto's side was still hurting and his knee throbbed where Neji stomped on it. Naruto himself could use a ride.

"Alright, Jack. If that's what you want, let's do it."

Jack reared up on his back legs to kick the air with his front. He was overjoyed. He settled back down on his four strong legs and let Naruto climb aboard. Naruto had never ridden bareback before on a horse. It was a little intimidating. He eased his way onto Jack and grabbed a fistful of his mane.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" Naruto asked.

"No." Jack was so excited he could not feel pain. "Ready?"

"I think so." Naruto pointed in the direction he wanted to go. "That way, Jack."

"Hold on!" Jack shot off like a rocket and ran through the farm and jumped over the wooden fence.

Naruto clung for dear life as Jack galloped through the farm and into the town. He felt like he was going to be bucked off.

When Jack turned his head to look around, Naruto saw the look of joy on his long face. Jack was so happy. He was free. A free horse! He could run and jump as he pleased. This was his first time in the town. He had never been off the farm before. This was very exciting.

All his life, Jack wanted to experience this feeling. Now he was living it.

Jack ran through town, separating people from attacking ninja. He plowed into Neji as he tried to attack, sending him back and into a trash can. Naruto couldn't help but laugh. Now used to the ride, Naruto was able to enjoy it. It felt like he was flying. He felt almost as free as Jack did.

"I see the mountain!" Jack called. "Oh, it's so big! So much bigger than on the farm!"

The joy in Jack's voice made Naruto feel as if he was flying. He shared Jack's joy. It made him smile a mile wide and almost forget the situation they were in.

"Which is the best way to enter?" Jack had no clue where to go from here.

"That way." Naruto pointed. "But Jack, it would be difficult for you to climb up the mountain."

"I don't care!" he cried. "I just want to see them. I want to help them."

He didn't have to plead from behind his stable door to someone else to do what he wished in his stead. When he asked Naruto to save his kitsune friends, Jack was ashamed he could not do it himself. He wanted to with all his heart. That was what friends did. He was unable to before but now all that had changed thanks to Naruto. He had set him free. He allowed him to do what he always wished.

Jack ran up the street where there were no people. They were close to the edge of the town. The forest and the mountain lay just beyond.

"I'm going to see them!" Jack cried with joy. "How surprised they will be to see me!"

He wanted to see them with all his heart.

"I'm going to help them! I will do it this time! I will save my friends! I will help my friends! I will! I will! I can do it now! I can protect them!"

The forest was close. Just a few more houses left. Jack was feeling so good, he kicked off the ground and jumped through the air mid-stride. It bucked Naruto a bit but the rush was thrilling. He laughed along with Jack.

Their laughter died down as they got closer. Naruto was focused and ready to guide Jack all the way to their friends. Naruto couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces as he rode a horse into their home, like a knight on his valiant steed. Like heroes charging into battle and saving the innocent.

Jack picked up the pace as they got closer. "I can't wait. I'm going to help them. Finally I can. I will protect my friends. We'll save them together, Naruto. We'll do it." Jack couldn't stop smiling. "I'm almost there, everyone. I'm coming."

No more waiting and pleading. No more being trapped and being left to wonder. The kitsune told him stories about the mountain and all the places Jack wished he could travel. Jack longed to see such sights. They were so simple but to him they were what dreams were made of. He longed to see a river. He longed to see the mountain up close. He wanted to see the animals living there. The wild boar, the owls. Mostly, to see his friends in their home. They saw him in his. Now he wanted to visit them in theirs. He wanted to see his kitsune friends.

They had such stories to tell him. His life on the farm was so boring in comparison. Racing to the mountain with Naruto on his back was the most excitement he had ever seen. The most fun he had had his own life. Rushing to their aid made him feel so important and powerful. He felt like he could do anything. He felt like a hero.

He felt free.

"I'm almost there."

The ground began to move under his hooves but Jack hardly noticed. Naruto sensed danger but couldn't tell where it was coming from until he heard a familiar voice say, "Wood Style..."

The next thing Naruto knew, he and Jack were thrown up into the air. Something wet hit Naruto in the face.

Wooden spikes had splintered up from the ground and pierced Jack's body. The wetness Naruto felt on his face was the spray of blood from Jack's neck wound. There was more blood gushing from Naruto's leg where another wood spike had stabbed straight through Jack's stomach and into Naruto's leg. A third spike missed Naruto completely but found its way through Jack's chest and out his back.

Naruto's scream echoed through the town. The spikes shrank back underground, dropping them, but Naruto's scream continued to echo.

Naruto landed on his back while Jack landed a short distance away. Naruto didn't want to turn his head to confirm what had just happened. If he did, it would make everything real. He wished what he saw was just an illusion. Just some fox fire trick. He didn't want to look.

Very slowly, he turned his head. Jack was beside him, bleeding.

Maybe he was just hurt. He could still be alive. He was alright. He could have been.

Naruto dragged himself to Jack's side. His left leg was not working after the wood pierced it.

"Jack..?" Naruto called hesitantly. "Jack?"

He wasn't moving.

"J- Jack..?"

Naruto put a trembling hand on Jack's neck. He was still warm. He moved closer to the horse.

Jack was not moving. He was still and quiet. His eyes were dark. The only light they held was the reflection of the fire in the distance.

"Jack?"

It couldn't be true.

"Jack?" Naruto nudged him. He did not respond. "Jack?" He nudged him again. Jack was not breathing. Naruto checked his heart. Nothing.

The forest was twenty feet away. They were almost there. Just a little further. They were so close.

"Jack..." Naruto's voice started to break.

They were so close.

He could still see Jack's smile and the look of joy on his face as he rushed to see his friends. He could still here him saying 'I'm almost there' as he ran to be with them.

They were so close.

They were close.

Naruto couldn't hold back his tears. He couldn't stop them. His quiet sobs turned to wails of despair.

If only he hadn't let him out of that stable. If only he hadn't told Jack he could join him. If only none of this had happened.

Yamato stepped into view. He took one look at the dead horse and clicked his tongue. "That is a pity," he said coldly. He didn't care about the horse. He was mocking him.

If only Yamato hadn't done that. It was his jutsu that killed him.

If only if weren't for Karada controlling everyone in the village. He commanded them to do this. He told them to do it. He told Yamato to do it.

It was Naruto's fault. It was Yamato's fault. It was Karada's fault.

No. It was that kitsune's fault. He made Karada do it and he then made Yamato do it. It was all his fault.

Everyone in the village was against him. The Leaf was gone. It wasn't his home anymore. It was taken from him. His friends were now his enemies. They didn't care about him or if he died. They felt nothing towards him. They weren't even his friends anymore. He was alone. Any friends he had were a target. Sakura was probably next. Shikamaru was probably already taken. Jack... Now even Jack was...

Naruto felt hot. His blood was boiling. His skin was starting to turn red.

He felt so angry. He felt so helpless. So scared. Sad.

There was going to be no one left. There was no way out of this. Jack was dead. His friends were enemies. They were targets. They could be next. Even the kitsune in the mountain were targets. They might not even be there anymore now. There were too many against them. Against him.

"Guess you're the only one left, Naruto," Yamato said coldly to him as he approached.

"Shut your mouth!" Naruto snarled.

Yamato stopped where he stood and watched. Naruto hunched over Jack's lifeless body, his hair standing on end.

It was too much. He couldn't handle it anymore.

He couldn't contain his rage. He wanted to kill the one responsible for killing Jack. That was his last conscious thought before he was consumed.

Naruto unleashed a roar so loud it rattled the timbers of every roof in the town.

He gave in and the Nine-Tails Cloak appeared.

* * *

D8

Please review! ^-^


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20:**

Sakura sprinted down one street to the next looking for injured people she could treat and any danger that needed to be faced. Most of the townspeople had a handle of the situation. They worked together to put out the numerous fires and pulled people from the buildings. A few guards from the palace saw what was happening in town and came to help. With everyone working together like this, it seemed this reckless attack on the innocent would soon be nothing more than a complaint rather than a tragedy. So far no one had been killed and any injuries were minor.

The attacking ninja had moved on. Very few stayed in the town with the panicking people. Sakura didn't want to take the chance believing that they would out of the woods yet. There could still be enemies lurking in the dark, waiting for an opportunity to attack when their backs were turned.

"This way. There. That's it."

Sakura heard Shikamaru's voice and came running. "Shikamaru?"

He was in the next street guiding a small group of people toward the palace. None of them were injured but they were all frightened and still in their night clothes. None of them had time to put on shoes, walking barefoot through the street. Shikamaru didn't seem to be hurt but it looked like he had just gone a few rounds with an enemy. He was covered in dirt and there was a small slice in his pant leg.

"Sakura, where's Naruto?"

"I have no idea. I thought he went to find you somewhere. We had no idea where you were. You weren't hiding on the hill this whole time, were you?"

"No. I stayed there for a moment after you two left. Naruto was right to leave. As soon as you guys went away, I was attacked by another ninja. I managed to get away once the explosions went off. Were those paper bombs I was hearing?"

"Yeah. Sai set them. He was here, too." Sakura looked down sadly. Sai had tried to kill them. His own teammates and innocent townspeople. "But you haven't seen Naruto either?"

"No. That's why I asked."

An enormous roar pierced the sky. A tremendous wind spread from a single area, as if another bomb had gone off behind the buildings. The cool night air turned hot, leaving them to think it was another fire.

After a moment, Sakura realized that was not the case. She had felt this feeling before. "Oh, no..."

"You know what that was?" Shikamaru asked, turning his back to the heat.

Sakura gulped. "It's Naruto."

* * *

Yamato stared at the beast standing over the fallen horse. It no longer looked anything like Naruto. His transformation wasted no time getting to this point. He had four tails whipping the air behind him. Soon he may grow more.

The monster's expression was rapturous, its jagged fangs pointed in a wicked smile. The white pupil-less eyes weren't forced on anything as far as he could tell. As soon as Yamato took a breath, that all changed. The four-tailed monster reared its head back and roared. Such an earsplitting sound left Yamato's head ringing.

Naruto was no longer conscious of his actions. The only thing his body wanted to do was kill. Yamato was a good place to start. He was the reason Naruto was so upset in the first place. If it weren't for him hurting Jack...

Naruto snapped a bite out of the air in front on him and crouched low. Intent on killing him, there was no way his attack could be stopped.

Yamato wasn't afraid. As a matter of fact, though capable, he was not going to suppress the red chakra consuming Naruto's body. He did that to control Naruto's fury when it got to this point without having to kill him. Without caring whether or not he killed him, Yamato didn't see the point in wasting his time with the seal. He was going to kill Naruto as he was.

Even if he failed to kill him, Naruto's rage would soon find the townspeople. Either way, it was a win for him.

Naruto let out a fiery hiss like a cat, his white eyes narrowing dangerously. Before Yamato could make a move, Naruto flew straight at him.

Yamato jumped aside as Naruto's beastly arm tore apart the ground where Yamato had been standing. Naruto's other arm swung out and caught Yamato in the air and pulled him back down. Naruto towered over him and roared in his face. Yamato stabbed Naruto's arm with the tip of his knife but Naruto didn't feel the pain. Furious, he raised his free arm to pound Yamato into the dirt.

Performing several hand-signs, Yamato conjured up a wood prison to encase Naruto's entire body. Too slow for Naruto's speedy movements, Naruto slammed his arm through the wood and to the left of Yamato. The wood only managed to throw off Naruto's aim just slightly. It wasn't enough to stop him.

Held in place by Naruto's arm, Yamato was helpless to dodge the next attack. Naruto slammed his arm straight down into Yamato's chest. He raised both arms to attack with double the power. Yamato took this chance to roll out of the way. On his feet, he ran to one side to avoid being hit by one of Naruto's tails and used another jutsu.

Wood surfaced and wrapped around Naruto's limbs like thick earthy ropes. He raged and roared. He pulled hard against his restraints and broke them. He launched himself at Yamato again and slammed into him head-first.

Yamato was thrown back, the front of his vest sizzling as if it had just come into contact with hot coals. When he looked up, he saw Naruto's fist in his face. Yamato was burned by the attack but still insisted on a fight. Wood surfaced and slammed into Naruto like punches. They only managed to knock him back but they weren't causing him damage.

"Damn, he's strong." Yamato remembered how destructive Naruto could be in this form. He knew how dangerous he was as well. If Naruto wasn't stopped, he would continue to destroy. Yamato wanted Naruto to leave the town in ruins, but he didn't want to die just yet. Maybe if he could lure Naruto further into town, he would get distracted and start going after other people. That sounded like a good idea. He didn't care about the people who lived here.

He also didn't care about any ninja who may have still been battling in the town. Though they were on the same side, he didn't care if they lived or died. They were just working together. The only one he cared about was Karada and he wasn't here.

Another wooden plank shot up from the ground to push Naruto back. Naruto cross-chopped the wood with the side of his hand, splitting it in half. He snatched the severed board out of the air and threw it at Yamato. Yamato dodged quickly but was caught by Naruto's hand. He was thrown into the ground again. Before Naruto could pounce on him, Yamato rolled backwards and back onto his feet.

"I'll skewer you just like I did that horse."

Somewhere deep within Naruto, a fragment of his own consciousness must have heard those words, for Naruto started roaring again and looked even angrier than before. His movements became more wild and the air around him started to heat up like the inside of a furnace. He swiped at Yamato again and again, leaving the ninja to run backwards to avoid his swings.

Naruto jumped into the air and came down above Yamato. The ground shattered under the impact. Roaring furiously, Naruto turned his head to gaze upon his target. Yamato used more wood to combat Naruto but it was no use. This time, Naruto shattered the wood into tiny splinters when he made contact. Naruto's fury was too much to handle.

He charged on all fours, huffing like a beast on the hunt. Yamato did not turn away. He pulled out another knife to defend himself. If Naruto was intent on killing him, then Yamato would have to bring Naruto down before that could happen.

With a mighty roar, Naruto pounced. Yamato held up the knife and stabbed Naruto in the chest. The blade wouldn't go any further though capable. What stopped the blade was Naruto pushed both hands against Yamato's arms. It prevented the knife from going any further. He didn't do it to stop the knife. He did it to pin Yamato down.

Yamato was thrown off his feet and into the ground. Naruto pressed his full weight on Yamato's body, pressing him into the ground. Yamato groaned in agony, his own body heating up from Naruto's molten flesh. He felt like his own body was burning. He twisted and pulled, trying to get away from the heat.

He did it. He was the one. The one who hurt Jack. The one who killed him. He had the enemy.

He had to get rid of him. He had to make sure this man never did anything again. He would have his revenge.

The Nine-Tails didn't care about any of that. He just wanted to kill. Naruto's grief-stricken thoughts mixed with the wild desires of the tailed-beast, giving him malicious intent. Naruto's mind wasn't focused. Neither was the beast he became. He was just violent. He had no reason to kill Yamato other than for the sheer pleasure.

As he felt Yamato wiggle under his grasp, Naruto opened his mouth wide and went in for the kill.

* * *

"It came from this direction!" Sakura led Shikamaru toward the source of the heatwave. She prayed it wasn't what she thought. She hoped she was wrong. She wanted it to be something else. She didn't want it to be true.

They were so close to the forest that if there truly was a fire, it would soon create a massive forest fire and spread. He didn't like the feeling in the air. It was a bad chakra. It felt evil and violent. It was like electricity. As they got closer, the feeling only grew worse. He knew they were heading into danger.

Sakura suddenly stopped, causing Shikamaru to bump into her from behind. Sakura covered her mouth with both hands and took a shaky step back.

Naruto held Yamato by his neck with his teeth. Yamato wasn't moving.

"Oh, my God..." Was he dead? Did Naruto kill him?

Naruto gave a continuous growl, holding Yamato off the ground.

"Captain Yamato!" Sakura screamed, hoping he would give some sign of life.

Naruto turned his head. He was looking straight at her. Narrowing his eyes, he dropped Yamato on the ground and turned to face her.

Shikamaru stared open-mouthed at Naruto. "That's..? Why is he..?"

"I've seen him get this way once a while ago," said Sakura. "It was awful. He got too worked up and lost control."

"You mean this isn't the curse? It's the seal?" That made everything worse.

Sakura couldn't stop shaking. She knew what this meant. If Naruto was in this state, he was unreasonable. Everyone was a target to him. "Why would he get this way?"

"I don't get it either," said Shikamaru. "I thought he became fox-like when he got emotional. Not this."

Naruto lowered himself to the ground with a snarl.

"It's me, Naruto!" Sakura knew it was futile, but she had to try to reach him. "It's ok! Please stop!"

Naruto hissed at her. He didn't recognize either of them.

"Please, Naruto. It's-"

Roaring, Naruto sprang. He tried to slice both of them with his arms, but his friends moved just in time.

Sakura tripped over Yamato's leg and landed on her tailbone. She saw the blood and her stomach turned. She came closer to check on his condition. His heart was beating and was still breathing. Sakura peered at his neck wound. The puncture wounds around his neck weren't deep and missed his vitals. The wounds around his shoulders and chest were much worse.

"Captain Yamato?"

He didn't respond. Sakura set to work to heal his worst injuries. She had to keep him from bleeding out. As she mended him, Yamato gave a soft moan, confirming that he was still alive.

"Sakura, get out of there!" Shikamaru shouted.

Naruto was already turning his wrath on her again. Sakura grabbed Yamato's vest and pulled him out of the way as Naruto came crashing through. Yamato couldn't stay here. He was in danger and incapable of defending himself. Sakura dragged Yamato to a safe place far from Naruto's destruction.

Shikamaru tried to hold Naruto back with his shadows but it wasn't enough. The shadows wouldn't bind him for long, snapping and shrinking away. "Naruto, stop it!" Shikamaru called to him. "Listen to me! We're your friends!"

Naruto roared and slammed the ground at Shikamaru's feet with his hand. He hissed at him and snapped the air with his jaws.

"Stop it, Naruto! It's me! Snap out of it!"

It was no use. Naruto couldn't stop himself. He was on a war path. He was going to destroy everything he could get his hands on.

"Narut-"

Naruto slapped Shikamaru across the chest with his tail. When Shikamaru went down, Naruto dragged him closer with his hand. Shikamaru cried out in pain, his flesh burning in Naruto's grip.

Sakura had to help him. She threw shuriken at Naruto's back, trying to get his attention without hurting him. "Naruto! Over here! Naruto!" She threw more which bounced off his head and onto the ground.

Naruto turned his head to growl at her. He released Shikamaru and went after her instead.

"Try to think, Naruto! You don't have to do this! It's ok! The enemies are gone! Please, come back!"

He wasn't listening. He charged at her with a roar and broke the ground with his fist. He roared again and tried to grab her as she backed up frantically. His ears pinned back and he hissed at her.

"That's enough, Naruto! Please stop!" She still couldn't understand what triggered this. Had Yamato done something to anger him or was he in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Naruto jumped over Sakura's head and onto a roof which splintered under his weight and cracked. Naruto's body was shaking with anger. He sprang from the roof and back onto the ground where Sakura stood. Sakura escaped between his legs and came out behind him. Naruto beat the ground with his hands and slapped the area with his four tails. He roared and hissed and sent another wave of heat through the air. It was almost as if he were having a tantrum.

He beat the ground with his fists again, shattering the ground in a very Sakura-like fashion. The earth trembled and quaked, sending Shikamaru and Sakura off balance. Shikamaru fell to his knees while Sakura stumbled back and fell onto the ground.

Her hand landed in something wet. She looked at her palm and saw blood. She wasn't injured so it wasn't hers. She looked behind her and saw a horse laying on its side, dead.

Had Naruto killed it? These wounds weren't from Naruto. They were uniform. These wounds were caused by something large, like a wooden spike or a board. She could even see the wooden splinters clinging to the area around the wound so she knew it was made by something wooden.

"Was this it?" Sakura asked herself. "Did Yamato kill this horse and that's why Naruto lost control?"

"Sakura, are you ok?" Shikamaru asked, rushing to her side. When he saw her not get to her feet and saw the blood on her hand, he thought she was injured.

"I think Captain Yamato killed this horse and that's why Naruto went nuts like this."

Shikamaru looked at the dead horse. "It's just a horse. Why would Naruto get so worked up over it?" Shikamaru considered the possibilities. "Of course, under his curse, he can understand what animals are saying so maybe he knew the horse. Talked to it."

Considering what Shikamaru said, Sakura thought back to the first time they came to this town and the palace. Naruto spoke often of his time as a kitsune during that mission and told them all about his adventures. How he was able to talk to animals as a fox and how the kitsune had to raid the farm for food because their food offerings had stopped. On that farm there were animals. Animals they knew and befriended.

"Oh, no..." Sakura moaned, her heart sinking. "I think Naruto knew this horse. I think it was one of the friends he made as a kitsune during our mission." She cast a sad eye on the dead horse. "Captain Yamato killed his friend."

Shikamaru nodded in understanding. That was why Naruto lost control.

Naruto scrapped the ground with his fingertips, hissing at them. He still wanted to fight. He focused on Sakura and jumped straight at her.

Seeing this, Shikamaru pulled Sakura out of the way. Naruto just missed them but the explosion from his impact with the ground sent them both flying. Before Shikamaru could hit the ground, Naruto slapped him out of the air with the back of his hand. Shikamaru skipped like a stone across the dirt and tumbled to an uneasy stop far away.

Naruto roared a warning before turning his attention back to Sakura. He roared in her face and raised his hand to strike.

"Naruto, no! Please! I know you know me! Please, remember!"

He brought his hand down. Sakura rolled to the right to avoid the hit. Annoyed that his attack missed, he raised his hand to try again.

Shikamaru came running with a kunai in his hand and jumped on Naruto's back. Naruto bucked up and down, trying to throw him off. He reached over his shoulder, grabbing at Shikamaru who was stabbing him in the back with his kunai. Sakura didn't take this opportunity to run. She remained where she was and begged both of them to stop.

Naruto found Shikamaru's leg and pulled him down. He slammed Shikamaru into the ground and stomped on his leg for good measure. Shikamaru cried out in pain and doubled over, clutching his shin. Naruto wanted to finish the job. He raised his arm to strike.

"No, don't!" Sakura begged. "Naruto, no! Please, no!"

Naruto spun around and hit her instead. Sakura was thrown backwards onto the ground again. Naruto stood over her and roared. He turned back to Shikamaru who was starting to get up. Naruto grabbed Shikamaru around his chest and threw him like a toy he was already bored with.

"Shikamaru!"

Naruto roared at her again and pressed her into the ground with his hand, pinning her down. His hand was directly on her stomach, pressing hard. Sakura could barely breathe.

Tears rolled down her face. Naruto was attacking his own friends and they couldn't stop him. Yamato still needed medical treatment. Who knew how much damage Shikamaru had gotten? Were they going to die here like this? What would happen to Naruto once he realized what he had done in this state?

"Naruto..! Naruto!" All she could do was call out his name as she cried. She couldn't help it. "Please..! Naruto!"

Naruto's growls started to subside. The heat from his burning flesh started to cool. His rage was dying down.

"Please stop..."

Naruto's beastly features started to fade away.

"Naruto?" Shikamaru was calling him.

"Naruto?" Sakura was calling him.

His body started to shrink back into human form. His fox features were gone but his skin was still a deep red color. His eyes were also red and fox-like.

Slowly but surely, the heat in his body cooled and faded away.

Naruto felt dizzy and light-headed. He felt as if he had been holding his breath in a hot spring and sudden sprang out and stood as quickly as possible in snowy, winter air. Naruto wobbled and sat on his knees in front of Sakura.

"Naruto? Naruto?"

He could still hear their voices calling out to him. They were warbled and distant but he could hear them. Their voices became more clear, no longer sounding like he was hearing them from underwater.

Naruto hung his head, feeling woozy. He felt a hand on his knee and looked up. His vision was blurry and dark. He didn't know where he was. He could see Sakura's face in front of him. She was blurry and there were three of her, but he could see her.

"Sa... Sakura..?"

His vision cleared and now he could see her clearly. Naruto gave his head a shake, still feeling woozy.

"Are you ok?" she asked him.

Naruto lifted his head and gave her a weak smile. "Hey..." He couldn't remember any of the attack. "Yeah, I'm ok. Why? Did something..."

Naruto's eyes fell on her dirt-covered clothes and face. The front of her shirt was also singed slightly. So were her gloves.

"Are you ok? Did that happen to you in the fire?"

Shikamaru bent down to look at him. "You don't remember anything?"

"Anything? About what?" Naruto then saw Shikamaru's leg. His pants were torn slightly but under the tear he could see singed flesh. "Are you ok? What happened to you? You run off somewhere and get caught in the fire or some..?"

Naruto's eyes widened. The mark on Shikamaru's skin was in the shape of a hand. Like a hand of fire had grabbed him. Shikamaru was also bleeding and the front of his jacket was also scorched.

Memories started to float back into his mind. He remembered going to the farm. He remembered riding on the horse. He remembered Yamato.

"Jack!" Naruto turned his head to look over Sakura's shoulder.

The horse was still laying there unmoving. Naruto's heart sank again. His lower lip started to tremble when he saw Yamato laying on the ground further away. He was cut and bleeding as well. That wasn't how Naruto remembered seeing him a moment ago.

Come to think of it, when did his friends come here? He didn't remember seeing them. How did Yamato get so hurt? Why couldn't he remember?

Adding it all up, Naruto reached a heart-breaking conclusion.

"Did I... do all this..?" he asked timidly.

Sakura was hesitant to answer.

"Did I hurt you guys? And Captain Yamato? Was it me?"

Sakura shook her head quickly. "It's nothing. It could have been worse. And it wasn't your fault."

Naruto looked at the ground.

"I- It's ok!" Sakura went on. "Look, I'm not even hurt. You missed a bunch. I know you didn't mean to hurt us. And you didn't. So..."

"But I did." Naruto looked at Shikamaru's leg. "I did that. I lost control and became the Nine-Tails for a minute."

"It... It wasn't you. It was the fox so it's not your fault. It wasn't..." Sakura could not make it better.

Naruto felt sick. Yamato had told him that he was the one who attacked and injured Sakura the last time he got out of control. After that, Naruto wanted to make sure it never happened again. Though Sakura claimed she wasn't injured, the same couldn't be said for Yamato and Shikamaru. Even if he didn't injure her physically, he knew he must have been a sight to behold. He must have frightened her, made her worry about their safety. She must have thought he was going to kill them.

Even if he wasn't the one in control of his actions, it was still his fault.

"I'm sorry." Naruto bowed his head low. His lip was trembling again. How could he do such a thing? He felt terrible. "I'm so sorry."

"It's ok, Naruto. You didn't..."

Naruto's fox ears appeared on top of his head. They were lowered in sadness.

He had almost killed his friends and wasn't even aware of it.

"And Captain Yamato is going to be fine. He's still alive. You missed some vital areas so I know you didn't mean to hurt him."

Either that or Yamato was just lucky Naruto missed.

How could he have let himself get out of control again?

Naruto looked down at his hands. They were hybrid paws. He knew this was his curse and not the seal. It made him think about his transformations, however. He had to calm himself otherwise he might get out of control again.

"I'm actually kind of surprised," she said. "I thought if you got emotional, you would turn into a kitsune. I didn't think the seal..." Sakura stopped there, not wanting to make matters worse. She could see that Naruto was still beating himself up over it.

Naruto's hands returned to normal but now he was thinking about something else.

The whole point of going in this direction, the reason Jack wanted to accompany him, was to help the kitsune. Naruto turned to look at the mountain.

Everything was in disarray. His friends-turned-enemies were attacking the mountain as they spoke. That was where Naruto wanted to go. That was where he had to be. This was no time to be feeling sorry for himself. He had to get to that mountain and help them. If he didn't someone else would end up killed.

Naruto stood up shakily and started to slowly walk towards the mountain.

"Where do you think you're going?" Shikamaru asked.

"I have to find Ryosuke. I have to help them."

"Naruto, you're in no condition to go mountain climbing," Sakura scolded. "You have to take it easy. Please, just wait a minute. We can always-"

"I have to go."

Naruto felt drawn to that mountain. He knew his friends were there. He had to help them. He had to protect them. If he waited too long it might be too late. This was no time to be taking it easy.

He couldn't ask his friends to go in his place. The kitsune were his friends. He had to go up there to see them. Sending Sakura and Shikamaru to do it for him just felt wrong. He had to do it. They were his friends. He had to be in that mountain and help them fight. He had to protect them.

Naruto stifled a small sob. Now he knew how Jack must have felt. Why he was so desperate to be with them during their time of need.

"I'll be fine. Besides, you have to stay here and make sure Captain Yamato is ok."

"But, Naruto, you can't-"

"I'm sorry. I have to go."

He had to.

Naruto broke into an unsteady run and into the forest. He could hear Sakura calling after him but ignored her. This was something he had to do. If his friends wanted to join him, that was fine, but he was not going to sit back and let others do it for him.

His friends were in trouble. He had to be with them.

Sakura gave Shikamaru a worried look. "We have to go after him."

"But what he's saying is right. You need to finish healing Yamato. He's hurt worse than either of us."

"I know that but..." Sakura remembered how unsteady Naruto was when he returned to normal after the red chakra was sealed by Yamato. Naruto was faint and kept falling over. He was in no condition to fight anyone. He needed rest.

"What is it, Sakura?" Shikamaru could see how worried she was and knew there was something going on.

"Whenever Naruto returns to normal after being in that state, his energy is just sapped. It's gone. Naruto gets really weak and unsteady. He's faint afterwords." Sakura gave Shikamaru a worried look. "Naruto's in no condition to climb a mountain, ninja or fox. And what if he runs into someone? He can't fight like that. He has to rest. He's going to collapse."

Naruto had a habit of pushing himself but now was not the time.

"Alright," said Shikamaru. "You finish healing Yamato and I'll go look for Naruto. We'll meet up when you're done."

* * *

Naruto lost is footing a second time and stumbled into a tree. He braced himself against the trunk, taking slow deep breaths. He felt so dizzy. He willed himself to go on, no matter how much his body begged for mercy. The ground started to move under his feet and the trees started to spin. Naruto staggered and hung his head, trying to remain standing.

"I'm ok. I'm ok... I can do this."

He pushed himself forward. He remembered this forest well. He knew where to go. He crossed the small stream and over to the other side. There he found the grave he had dug for Seki's older brother. It was still there, the cross made out of sticks looking the same way they did when he made it. So little had changed the past few months.

Naruto's vision started to blur and his body swayed. He fought to remain standing. He thought he had beat the feeling but then his head started to go in one direction while his legs remained where they were. Naruto caught himself and forced himself to stay standing.

"Not yet. I can do this. I'm ok. I can do this. I'm almost there. Just a little further."

Naruto could climb the mountain from here. As long as he remained in human form, he could easily scale the mountain using his ninja skills. This would be easy.

Naruto approached and faced the mountain's side. It was so wide. Human or fox, it was huge. He started climbing. He used his hands at first to get a feel for the mountain. Then as he started to get further off the ground, Naruto used his ninja skills, jumping from one rock to the next and holding on with his chakra. This was easy. He would be at the top in no time.

Filled with hope, Naruto had a feeling his friends were going to be fine. He was the one who knew where to find them. The ninja would be searching blind. Neji could in theory used his Byakugan to locate the kitsune but since he was in the town, Naruto was confident he wasn't able to do that. The other ninja might have still been searching. Unless Neji had already used his eyes to find the kitsune then told his comrades where they were. Even if he did that, the kitsune could have gotten away during that time. Most of them wanted to avoid humans. At the first sign of a ninja, they would run off somewhere. Even use their illusions to escape.

Maybe Naruto was worried for nothing. Nevertheless, he wanted to be with them. Fox instincts or friendship, Naruto felt like he was a part of their pack. He had to be with them. He had to help them.

Naruto felt faint again. His vision started to blur and his limbs went numb. Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. "No, no, no. Not now. I'm so close. I'm almost there. I can hold on just a bit longer."

He reached for another rock but his hand grasped nothing and fell. Naruto clung with his other hand to the rock he was currently holding onto and waited for his vision to clear. He was seeing double again.

His body was so worn out and weak from his rampage that his grip weakened on the stone and he slipped. "No, no, no!" Naruto quickly grabbed another stone but this one slipped from its mold and he fell backwards from the mountain.

Determined not to fall, Naruto focused his chakra to keep himself steady. However, the sensation of falling had given his heart a jolt and that caused his fox ears and tail to appear. Naruto lost his chakra and fell.

Naruto grabbed frantically for the rocks. He was almost halfway up the mountain. A fall from this height...

"Ah!" Naruto bounced off the rocks and tumbled down the mountain. He managed to slow himself slightly by grabbing onto the rocks but he lost his grip soon after.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

Back, shoulder, legs, ribs... He hit them all on his way down, bouncing from one stone to the next. Then he hit nothing. The last rock he fell against was sticking out further than the rest, causing Naruto to fall away from anything he could grab. He fell straight down and slammed into the ground.

Naruto lay sprawled on his back at the bottom of the mountain half-conscious.

His goal seemed so far away from down here. His body was in so much pain and so tired.

"I'm almost... there..."

The mountain blurred and faded away. Naruto shut his eyes and passed out.

* * *

What next?

Please review! ^-^


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21:**

Naruto's whole body ached. He wondered how long he had been lying at the foot of the mountain. He wasn't sure how long he had been anywhere. He felt as if he had been slipping in and out of consciousness. He didn't feel as lightheaded so he must have gotten enough rest. He shouldn't have been resting anyway. He still had things to do.

When Naruto opened his eyes he didn't see the mountain. He saw trees. Trees that were close and overhead. He was in the forest still. Was reaching the base of the mountain just a dream? He knew he had been out of sorts during his journey into the forest but did he really pass out that quickly? When he fell into that tree, was that when he fainted? Was everything else after that a dream?

Naruto closed his eyes and opened them again to make sure. The scene around him did not change. This was real. He was really in the forest.

Still sore, Naruto slowly turned his head to look around. There was a light above him. A small flickering fireball. Naruto blinked to be sure. This fire did not have anything around it. No candle, no torch, no anything. It was just a floating fireball in the air.

A bluish-green fireball.

Fox fire.

Naruto rolled onto his shoulder and lifted himself up. That flame did not belong to him. The kitsune must have been nearby. Naruto looked around, hoping to see them.

Instead all he saw was a human.

Naruto stared at the human beside him. It was a boy. He looked to be just a little older than he was. His head was slowly rotating from side to side, keeping watch over Naruto. Naruto didn't recognize him. He had never seen this human before.

He wore a serious expression, vigilantly keeping watch for any signs of danger. His hair was long and unkempt, falling loosely around his shoulders and face. His skin was a pale tan, or perhaps it looked that way in the light of the fox fire. Even in the light of the single flame, Naruto could tell his hair was a deep orange color, like the fur of a red fox.

Naruto sat up further, staring. Though he had never seen this person before, he felt familiar with him. He felt comforted. He felt like he could trust him. A calm security. He felt safe with him. Without having to say anything, Naruto felt better just being around him. Like being home. Or being around Kakashi.

Naruto squinted. He couldn't put his finger on it, but this human was just too familiar somehow. He knew he knew him. Who was he?

As if feeling his gaze, the human turned his head, casting his green eyes down upon him.

Green met blue and sparked Naruto's memory. He had seen those eyes before. He saw them with fury, with joy, with tears. Those comforting, strong green eyes of a true kitsune leader.

"Ryosuke..?"

Naruto's hesitant question caused the human to give a foxy smile.

"It's been a long time... Naruto," he said in that familiar voice. "It's good to see you."

Overjoyed, Naruto bolted upright and gasped happily at his old friend. "Ryosuke!" He lunged forward and embraced him. "Oh, I missed you so much!"

Ryosuke returned his hug. "I've missed you, too, Naruto. How are you?"

"Great!" Naruto was so thrilled to see him, he forgot everything that had been troubling him. He looked Ryosuke over and added, "What about you? You're a..."

Ryosuke looked down. "Oh. Yes. This." He chuckled slightly. "But I am me. This should be enough proof." Ryosuke swung his three tails to the front for Naruto to see.

"Oh!" Naruto's eyes brightened. "Oh, yeah! Seki told me you became a three-tails. And with that, you get a human form of your very own."

Ryosuke nodded. "This is my own form. Not a transformation. So this is what I look like as a human." Ryosuke stroked his three tails. "Though I don't like to use it much. I prefer to be a fox."

"Then why are you a human now?"

Ryosuke grinned. "I found you by the foot of the mountain by the grave. I couldn't just leave you there and you were unconscious. As a fox, I couldn't carry a human. Not well anyway. So I had to change into this form to carry you to a safe place."

"Wow." Ryosuke changed into his human form to take care of him. "Thanks."

Even though he was in human form, Ryosuke was still a fox. When he moved, he moved as one. After hugging as humans, Naruto and Ryosuke greeted each other as foxes, nudging each other with their heads and nuzzling each other's faces. Seeing a small cut on Naruto's cheek, Ryosuke attempted to clean it with his tongue. He licked Naruto's face. Knowing that Ryosuke was a fox, Naruto didn't feel too uncomfortable about being licked by a human male. The fox part of him knew and the human part understood.

"Naruto?"

Ryosuke stopped and stared in a certain direction.

"Naruto?"

"It's ok," Naruto told him. "It's my friends. That's just Sakura."

Ryosuke relaxed, no longer on the alert.

"Over here, Sakura! I'm ok!"

Rustling in the forest grew louder and louder until two humans came into view. "Oh, there you are," Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and annoyance. "We were looking everywhere for you. I was worried..."

Sakura stopped and stared at the human under the fox fire. Shikamaru noticed him, too.

"Guys, this is Ryosuke," Naruto said proudly.

"Ryosuke..?" Shikamaru stared at the human. "But... I thought he was a kitsune."

"I am." Ryosuke wagged his three tails. "This is just the human form I can change into if I ever need it."

Sakura counted the tails Ryosuke held and was awed. "Wow. Three tails." Ryosuke's human form wasn't half bad looking either. She found him to be pretty appealing. "Hi, there. I'm Sakura. We sort of met once, I think."

"The girl who was cursed in the prince's bedroom. Yes, I remember. It's nice to officially meet."

Shikamaru introduced himself next. "I'm Shikamaru. And I have to say, you seem pretty calm around humans. Friendly, even."

"I've practiced with the prince. Since he wishes to make our lives easier, we sometimes do business together. We wish to help out the humans as well."

It seemed Ryosuke learned to address humans a certain way. He was formal around his friends and no doubt the prince. Greeting foxes was much different. Apparently, Ryosuke felt the need to keep them separate, though it gave Naruto a weird feeling. He didn't like formal situations. He wanted Ryosuke to treat his friends like foxes rather than diplomats. It would have been more fun and easygoing.

"Ryosuke." This was no time to be friendly with each other. There was danger. Naruto had to warn him and the other kitsune. "There are other ninja here from my village but they're being controlled to do bad things."

"It's true," Shikamaru said solemnly. "We think one of the bad kitsune that wanted to take this mountain from you put a curse on one of our own and is forcing him to take control of our friends and make them attack you. A few of them have already attacked the town."

"I already know," said Ryosuke. "I could see the flames and heard the humans from here. I told my kitsune to move further into the mountain and away from danger. This way, if we are attacked, the fighting will be done away from the humans in town. They don't have to get caught up in whatever will come."

Ryosuke was smart. He wasn't avoiding the danger all together by avoiding the town. He was trying to move the real targets away from the innocent. He wasn't thinking only of his own kind.

"I also sensed a great and strange power I had never felt before. The others sensed it, too. It wasn't anything human or kitsune. It felt dangerous."

"That was..." Sakura stopped there and looked at Naruto. She didn't want Ryosuke to know about what happened. It could complicate things. "It's gone now so you don't have to worry about it."

"Are the humans in town alright?" Ryosuke asked. "Have the ninja harmed anyone?"

"No, they're alive. The guards are taking care of them and the fires have been put out. Everything's fine."

There was never going to be a good time to break the news to his friend. Saying that no one was killed wasn't completely true, either. Though no humans were killed, they did lose an important friend.

"Jack's dead."

Naruto didn't lift his head to see the look on Ryosuke's human face. Naruto clenched his fists tightly with a bitter expression on his face. It felt like his chest was being poked with needles. A part of it still didn't seem real to him.

"Captain Yamato was being controlled when he did it. I know that. He was the one who did it, though. Jack and I were going into the forest to find you and warn you when Captain Yamato found us and killed Jack."

There must have been something else he could have done. Another way they could have went.

If only he hadn't let Jack come along. It was his fault. Not Yamato's but Naruto's.

Sakura looked at Shikamaru. Now they knew why Naruto had lost control and who that horse was. It was a friend of Naruto's. A friend of the kitsune.

Seeing it all happen again in his mind, Naruto's shoulders started to shake. He was starting to cry all over again. He could still hear Jack's joyous voice proclaiming his freedom and desire to be with his friends. How he kept saying how close he was. How he was almost there.

Jack had died before he could reach them. He didn't even have the chance to see them before he died.

They were so close.

Ryosuke nuzzled Naruto's face with his, transferring Naruto's tears to his own cheek. Naruto stopped crying and looked at him. Ryosuke wore a sad expression on his face but he shed no tears.

"It is not your fault," he said sternly.

"But he told me to take him with me. I let him out of his stable to save him from the fire. I should have taken him somewhere else instead of letting him come along."

Ryosuke placed his human hand on Naruto's. "Jack was one of my dearest friends. He loved us and we loved him. Jack always dreamed of leaving the farm and seeing what the rest of the town looked like. He settled for our tales of the mountain but it was never enough for him. You set him free, Naruto. As brief as it might have been, I know he died happy."

A tear rolled down Naruto's cheek.

Looking back, he knew Jack was ecstatic. Even in the face of danger and knowing the situation, Jack never stopped smiling. Not even once. He sounded so happy, calling attention to the size of the mountain and the different buildings in town. Everything was new and different for him and he loved every second of it. Naruto could open his window and climb onto the roof to see the stars whenever he wished while Jack could not. He couldn't even turn his head to look behind him in his stable. He was constantly facing the farm. There was no window other than the one he stuck his head out. Everything restricted him. The farmer wouldn't let him leave the farm, the stable stall wouldn't let him see beyond it and the wooden door wouldn't let him run. Jack led a trapped life.

"When Reevo was a problem," Ryosuke went on, "Jack always lamented how he could do nothing to help us. He could not help us search, he could not give us warning and he could not protect us from Reevo. He even asked you to do it in his place, Naruto."

Naruto sniffled. "Yeah, I know."

"When Reevo was defeated, I came to the farm to tell Jack what had happened so he would not wonder. Though he was pleased and happy to hear the news, I could tell that he was sad."

"Because you guys could not visit anymore now that the offerings were back." Naruto was sure that was the answer.

Ryosuke shook his head. "Because he had nothing to do with it."

Naruto blinked.

"Jack asked you to help us in his place because he could do nothing. He wanted to help with all his heart but he could not. That made him desperate and feel so defeated. He was disappointed and sad. He wanted to be there for his friends. That is a part of friendship. He knew he was restricted and so did we. We didn't hold that against him but I think for him it had to do a bit with pride. We were safe but he wasn't the one who helped defeat Reevo, as much as he wanted to. He wanted to help his friends, Naruto. Jack was sad he wasn't able to do that."

Jack wanted to help but couldn't. Naruto knew how it felt to want to help someone he cared about so much only to not be able to. Feeling helpless and weak. Even if the danger was over, Naruto wanted to be able to say he took part in the fight. That he stood there with his friends and did everything he could to help them.

"I know Jack wanted to help us. When you showed up this time, I knew he must have thought that he was given a second chance. That this time would be different. He could help." Ryosuke lowered his head slightly to look into Naruto's eyes. "For Jack, you leaving him somewhere safe would have torn him apart inside. Though it cost him his life, Jack wanted to do this. Knowing the risks, he would have taken them all just to do what he couldn't do before. I mean it, Naruto. I think it would have been worse if Jack had lived and done nothing than for him to try and die."

In his heart, Naruto knew Ryosuke was right. Jack would have never forgiven himself to let such an opportunity slip by. Naruto knew how he would have felt if his friends were in a life or death situation and he was locked in a closet while they battled for their lives. He had to take part. He had to help.

"It's what Jack wanted," Ryosuke whispered to him gently. "His intentions were good and pure. In my eyes, he died a hero. He died trying to protect his friends."

Naruto touched foreheads with Ryosuke. His words made Naruto feel better but the sadness was still there. He was going to miss Jack. Just as all the kitsune would miss him.

Shikamaru couldn't wait anymore. He had given them a moment which Naruto desperately needed but now they needed to get back to business. "Where are the kitsune now?"

Ryosuke pulled away from Naruto. "Further around the mountain. They're not on top. We traveled down the other side."

"I saw some ninja head in that direction before." Shikamaru saw them just after Naruto and Sakura entered the town. "Your friends might be in danger."

"I know there are humans there. They're handling it."

Shikamaru was surprised at how calm Ryosuke was about all of this. "Aren't you worried our ninja will hurt them? That they'll be killed? How can you be so calm about all this? How can you be sure they're alright?"

"Because I know my kitsune."

That was all Ryosuke needed to say. Naruto couldn't have said it better.

"If you want proof, you can come with us and see for yourselves." Ryosuke turned to Naruto. "It's been a while since we've used our tricks. Not since those hunters entered our territory. Want to join in on the fun?"

Naruto was very excited. Ryosuke might as well have asked a child if they wanted to go to a theme park. "Hell, yeah!" Naruto's ears popped out of his head. "And I still remember how to use my fox fire."

"Good. Then you can definitely join in on the fun." Ryosuke turned to Sakura and Shikamaru. "Don't worry, you're friends will not be harmed. We do not hurt humans."

"But if your kitsune pack is attacking our friends with fox magic, we should warn you about a couple of things," said Shikamaru.

"Yeah," added Sakura. "We don't think possession is a good idea. We don't know what that will do to the people being controlled by the enemy jutsu or what effect it could have on the kitsune doing the possession."

"That's fine. We won't. It's harder to do on someone who is awake. An unconscious person won't put up a fight for control."

"We can handle this, Sakura," said Naruto. "Don't worry."

Shikamaru put a hand on Sakura's shoulder to keep her from protesting. "I might be having a hard time figuring out how these kitsune think, but Ryosuke won't have that problem. Maybe we should hang back and let them handle this. We'll see kitsune in action."

Sakura knew he had a point. Besides, their bodies were still sore from their brush with Naruto. They were hopelessly outnumbered as well. Maybe leaving things to the kitsune wouldn't be such a bad idea.

With a nod of approval, Sakura smiled at Naruto. "We don't mind watching. Go show us how kitsune would do it."

Naruto grinned at her. "Ready, Ryosuke?" Naruto asked, now pumped and ready for anything.

Ryosuke's body started to shift into animal form. His human body disappeared under his orange fur and a muzzle grew from the middle of his face. Seeing Ryosuke's transformation put Naruto in awe. It was very different from how he transformed. Ryosuke's fox form was even more astounding than Naruto remembered. Ryosuke's coat was well-groomed and sleek. His long tails were magnificent and held proudly off the ground. He looked like a guardian spirit.

Naruto's animal instincts must have recognized him as the kitsune leader and a very powerful fox because he had a sudden urge to bow before him. Naruto's human self alone felt like he was looking at someone of great importance.

The transformation left even Shikamaru and Sakura starstruck. Open-mouthed, neither could form words as they stared at Ryosuke. Only when he told them to keep close did they snap out of their dazes and stammered in agreement.

Recovered from his state, Naruto quickly followed after Ryosuke as he moved quickly through the forest and closer to the mountain. Shikamaru and Sakura hurried to catch up. Not just for the sake of their mission, but because Ryosuke made them feel safe. They followed after the secure feeling he gave them, not wanting to be left behind. They could sense just how powerful he was.

That was when they knew that Ryosuke could handle this.

"It's no wonder the kitsune couldn't do anything with Ryosuke around," Shikamaru whispered. "Even I can sense a great power in him. The enemy kitsune must have run off knowing they didn't stand a chance."

The dash around the mountain took less time in fox form. Both Naruto and Ryosuke left Sakura and Shikamaru in their dust, racing to get to the location. Several times, Ryosuke stopped and waited for them to catch up then would take off again. Ryosuke ran so swiftly that it was almost as if he were flying.

"I can fly when I gain at least five tails," Ryosuke told him.

Naruto followed as closely as he could. Ryosuke leaped over a shrub and onto a rock. From there he dove behind a tree and crouched down. Naruto saw this and knew he had to slow down if he was going to stop that quickly. Naruto pounced through the air and came to a full stop beside Ryosuke.

Naruto felt as if they were hunting again. This feeling was very nostalgic.

Ryosuke pointed between the trees with his nose. There were two ninja in front of them facing the other direction. They didn't seem to be fighting anyone, just standing guard.

"The others are just beyond those two. What should we do about them? They are your friends."

Naruto eyed the ninja from behind. It was Kiba and Neji. So far neither of them noticed the two kitsune watching them. Casting illusions might not work on them because of their talents. Kiba could sniff his way around a visual illusion and Neji could see right through it. Naruto still had to master fooling all five senses, so fooling them would be a challenge.

Or a great opportunity to test something out.

"Hey, Ryosuke. We're still not sure if these guys under the jutsu are going to follow whatever Karada says or anyone who looks like him. A direct link kind of thing."

"Is Karada the name of the human that did this?"

"Yeah. And anyone under his control will do whatever he says. So we were wondering if someone who looks like him could also command them or if it has to be Karada alone. Like a special kind of thing he does or a direct link or something. Know what I mean?"

"I don't understand ninja arts, so I haven't a clue."

Naruto shifted back into human form. "If I use my transformation jutsu, I can turn into Karada and test it."

Since Ryosuke had never seen Karada before he would be unable to transform into him, and since Naruto only had one tail he could not use fox magic to transform. Changing back into a human and using ninja arts was the only way to do this. Since Naruto had seen Karada several times, he knew he could pull off a good impression of him.

"I'm going in to test it. Watch my back, ok, Ryosuke?"

"Of course I will."

Naruto transformed into Karada and stepped out to speak with his friends. If anyone could command them looking like Karada, then all Naruto had to do was order them to stop the attack and move on. At this point, that was all Naruto was trying to accomplish. To see if it could be done and if he could command them to do as he wished.

"You two," he said in Karada's voice. "I need a word."

Controlling this transformation was difficult. Naruto had to walk on cloth and use it in the same way he saw Karada using it. He also had to remain calm and not lose control of the jutsu. No matter what, he could not turn into a fox. Not now.

Neji and Kiba turned.

"Have you come across any kitsune yet?" Naruto asked.

"I've seen them," answered Neji. It wasn't clear yet if Neji answered because asked or because Naruto's transformation compelled him to.

"Good," Naruto went on. So far his impression was flawless. "There have been a change of plans. I need everyone to move out now and regroup. I've just learned something rather important you all should hear."

Neji did not obey.

"Why the hesitation?" Naruto asked. "I gave you an order, now do it."

Neji assumed a fighting stance. "You cannot order me around. You are not my boss."

Naruto tried to keep up the charade to make sure. "I am Karada, you fool. Obey me!"

"No, you're not."

"Yeah!" barked Kiba. "You can't fool my nose. You're Naruto."

"Crap." Now Naruto had his answer. Only Karada could command them, not an imposter.

Neji's Byakugan was out and he was ready to fight. "I don't know what you're trying to pull, but I can assure you that our fight will not end the same way it did during the exams. I hope you're ready for a fight."

Neji remembered he fought Naruto during the exams and lost. Neji still had his memories. Just as Naruto saw before, all the people under the jutsu knew who he was but Naruto wasn't sure just how much detail they could recall. Clearly, in addition to knowing his name, they also knew the history between them among other details. The people under the jutsu weren't brainwashed. It was just a loyalty jutsu that erased bonds with all others so they would only be loyal to one person without emotional conflict. This confirmed it for Naruto.

Even so, he still wasn't convinced. Not about the jutsu details or if his friends could recall past events in addition to one's identity. Naruto found it hard to believe that his friends could remember what happened between them in the past and have no emotional connection. How could someone go through so much with another person, remember it and not have some sort of bond?

"I'm not waiting around like an idiot!" barked Kiba. "We gonna fight or not?"

Kiba rushed at Naruto with his arms out to either side, ready to strike. As soon as he was close enough, he took a wide swing at Naruto's face. Naruto's tail appeared and his jutsu was broken. Back in his own form, Naruto bent over backwards to avoid Kiba's claws. Using his tail for balance, Naruto tilted backwards and kicked Kiba in the stomach. He came back up and headbutted Kiba in the head, following up on the attack with a punch to his face.

"Freaking piece of..!" Kiba punched him back. "I'll teach you to punch me!"

"You don't have to. I already know how!" Naruto punched him again. "See?"

"I'll murder you good!" Kiba swung left and right, taking as many punches as he could at Naruto's face and upper body.

Naruto blocked and punched back. The fox in him started to take over during the fight. In lieu of punching, Naruto started scratching with his claws. When Kiba took another swing at his face, Naruto chomped down on Kiba's knuckles. Kiba howled in pain and punched Naruto with his other hand. Naruto blocked and took several steps forward, forcing Kiba backwards. He lost his footing and Naruto pinned him down.

Neji charged in and slammed his right hand into Naruto's side. Naruto cried out in pain, yelping like an injured dog. "Don't ignore me, Naruto. I'm the one who's going to fight you. Don't forget that I'm here, too."

Naruto rolled onto his back form the force of the attack. He knew with Neji's eyes, he would be able to see through any illusions he conjured up. His other senses could be fooled but Naruto didn't know how to fool the other senses. Just optical.

Although, there were still ways around that.

"Fox fire!" Flame burst from Naruto's hands and tail, surrounding him in an eerie light.

Neji jumped back, still in a fighting stance. He didn't know what Naruto was about to do but he knew he had to get some distance between them.

When the flames died down, he saw Naruto standing in front of him alongside Kiba. They were fighting each other again. This time, it looked like Kiba was losing badly. Naruto kept punching him over and over and Kiba wasn't putting up much of a fight. When Kiba fell, Neji moved in to attack.

By the time, Naruto looked up, Neji was in his face, hitting him with his gentle fist. Neji didn't let up for an instant. He couldn't let Naruto move or speak. No jutsu and no fox magic was going to get through. Naruto managed to scratch him in the face once but Neji wasn't about to lose to him a second time. He was going to win.

Naruto scratched him again and Neji shoved him into the trunk of a tree. Again, Naruto scratched him and Neji retaliated with a blow to the gut.

From the trees, Sakura gasped and tried to offer her assistance, but Shikamaru held her back. Naruto was getting a beating. "We have to do something to help him!" she cried out in a loud whisper.

Ryosuke smiled slightly and shook his head. "No. Naruto's just fine."

"What are you talking about? Neji's beating him up!"

Again, Ryosuke shook his head. "That's not Naruto."

Sakura blinked. "Huh?"

Ryosuke pointed to Kiba on the ground watching the fight. "That's Naruto."

Sakura was stunned. "But... How..?"

"I see," said Shikamaru. "When Naruto used his fox fire, he switched places by forming an illusion around their bodies. Now Naruto looks like Kiba and visa versa. Since Neji can see through illusions that are conjured out of nothing, he can see through them using his Byakugan. Naruto found a way around that. By attaching the illusion to a person, he can fool Neji's Byakugan. Since Neji is looking for chakra, it makes perfect sense to attach the illusion to something that also has charka."

Sakura looked between the trees. "I see. So he is having those two fight each other." Then she got worried. "But isn't that dangerous? Neji's trying to kill Naruto, so what if he ends up killing Kiba? And because Neji is able to see through the illusions, wouldn't it make more sense to take him out first and not Kiba? I don't think Kiba stands a chance against Neji."

"Maybe Naruto has a plan."

"I certainly hope so."

Neji slammed his hand into Naruto's side and threw him to the ground, gasping. "You're chakra's blocked. There's no point in you continuing the fight. It's over."

"Yup. Thanks, Neji."

That was Naruto's voice but it was coming from behind him. Neji looked at Naruto's face. His lips didn't move. Could he throw his voice? What was this? Suddenly, Naruto disappeared and Kiba sat in his place, panting and holding his sides.

"What?!" Neji spun around. Kiba stood behind him but soon even he disappeared and was replaced by Naruto. "You..." Neji glared at him. He was tricked.

Naruto smiled at him. "I guess it was worth letting Kiba kick my ass to get you to attack him, thinking he was me. Since Kiba also likes fighting with claws, I figured you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between him and me when you fought. And this way, I get you tired out and get you to cut off Kiba's chakra flow. This makes things easier for me."

"So that was his plan," whispered Sakura from her hiding place. "That's why he went after Neji first. Kiba does have similar attacks to Naruto when he fights as a fox. It makes sense."

Naruto brushed himself off. Both his friends were weakened, but he didn't do it so it would be easier for him to win. He wanted them easier to fight in the hopes they would be too weak to go on and give up. Naruto didn't want to fight them like this. It wasn't their fault. He wasn't looking to win, anyway. He just wanted them stopped before anyone else got hurt.

Neji wasn't tired just yet. If Naruto was expecting Neji to get worn out from weakening Kiba, Naruto was sorely mistaken. Having been trained under Gai, Neji wasn't easily worn out. He could keep going. Kiba was the one in trouble, but Neji didn't care. If Kiba was too weak to fight, that was his problem. Neji wasn't going to pick him up when he fell and he certainly wasn't going to forfeit a fight for the sake of Kiba's well being. Neji was going to fight.

"I'm not going anywhere." Neji took another stance. "If you want a fight then bring it."

Neji wasn't giving up as easily as Naruto hoped. Reluctantly, Naruto took a fighting stance.

"This is going to take forever," whispered Sakura. "Neji won't back down and if he gets into trouble, he might end up using Kiba as a shield. We don't know. All we know is that Neji isn't going to be considerate of anyone who gets in the way."

"Yeah, I know," said Shikamaru. "I saw a bit of that when I was undercover. Someone tried to stop us from attacking by holding one of our own as a hostage, thinking we wouldn't attack. We did anyway. The ninja was injured but he'll live. But that's just a taste of what they're willing to do to see that their mission is complaint." Shikamaru cast his eyes down and frowned. "And that's what ANBU wanted from their ninja. To see that the mission is complete. Whatever the cost. That's what it means to be a good ninja. No emotion."

Sakura sighed heavily, knowing it was the truth. Emotions got in the way of the mission. A ninja must never show emotion. That is what they were taught. Easier said than done. Karada's jutsu would take care of that. If one of their friends was held hostage and the only way to save them was to fail the mission, they would let that friend die. Failure was not an option. Personal feelings for friends were a hindrance. They couldn't have emotional attachments. It was harmful to the mission.

"Well, kitsune have plenty of emotion," said Ryosuke. "We cannot be unfeeling. We would not be able to survive. You must have emotion. Passion, love... Those are emotions we feel. I can understand why someone would say they would get in the way. That's why I didn't want to be the leader. I was afraid. But it was the right thing to do. We needed a leader and I was the best for the job. Because I refused, we were lost. No direction and no inspiration. I became the leader because I cared for my fellow kitsune and love them all. That is why I put aside my fear to protect them. If I didn't care about them and have love, I would have never become the leader."

Though Sakura had heard Naruto speak of Ryosuke and his emotional struggles, it was far different hearing him speak of it himself. As Ryosuke spoke of his feelings and his reasons, Sakura felt inspired. Ryosuke truly was meant to be leader. He had the power to inspire others and she could sense his passion and his power. He was a protector. A leader.

"Emotions are important. You must have them."

Even a sense of right and wrong went with having emotions. The one who killed and felt nothing, and the one who killed and felt something showed what kind of person they were. It was far more likely for someone who felt nothing when they took a life to take one again and not think twice. Someone who felt something afterwords would be less likely to harm someone deliberately.

Sakura could see the fallacy in the way ANBU functioned when it came to those teaching. While it was true that emotions could get in the way of a mission, emotions were also necessary. If a ninja had them, they would practice restraint. Being brought up not to have any emotions might turn the ninja into killers who killed just because they could and thought nothing of it.

Having emotions was also excellent for missions because the ninja had passion. If the mission was just a job, the ninja might be more lax and not care one way or another and that alone could be a hindrance. Sakura had seen it time and again with Naruto. When he had emotion, he fought harder. He put his life on the line because he cared and he only cared because of his feelings. That alone made him an excellent ninja. It made him strong.

Naruto cried out as Neji hit him. The group behind the trees turned back to watch. So far, neither side was winning. Neji wasn't going to stop though. If there were more ninja further ahead, they didn't have time to waste with this fight. They had to end it quickly.

"Neji's not going to stop," said Sakura. "We have to do something. We can help."

"But the battle will drag on and on and we don't know what's ahead," said Shikamaru. "We should save our strength."

Ryosuke watched the fight from his position. "That one. Neji, right? He won't stop unless he can't fight anymore?"

"Probably not. This fight's going to drag on and on, like I said."

Ryosuke nodded. "Then I have a way we can end this quickly." His tails fanned out and tiny flames started to appear in wisps. "Fox fire."

Naruto raised his arms to block as Neji came at him again. Suddenly, Neji started screaming. Naruto lowered his arms and saw Neji writhing on the ground in agony. "Huh?"

Neji tossed back and forth on the ground, crying out in pain. "Ow! Ow! Ow! It hurts! Make it stop! Ow!"

Shikamaru turned to Ryosuke. "What did you do?"

"If he can see through illusions, then we'll have to fool his other senses. I'm making him feel pain. Don't worry. He's not actually hurt and there will be no damage."

Though nothing was wrong with his body, Neji's mind perceived the pain as real, causing him to writhe on the ground.

"And now..."

The pain left Neji's body and he lay on the ground moaning softly. His body wouldn't move. The pain must have taken a toll on his body. His bones must have been broken. There must have been a lot of damage to his insides, rendering him incapable of moving. No matter how much he tried, his body wasn't budging.

In reality, his body wasn't damaged at all. He was perfectly fine. Ryosuke was just fooling him into thinking he couldn't move when he actually could.

Naruto looked into the trees and nodded to Ryosuke. He turned to Kiba who was in a great deal of pain after going up against Neji one minute ago. He could still move but he was sluggish. Naruto knew he would be easy to deal with.

He conjured a new illusion, making himself look like a giant fox covered in flame. He towered over Kiba and asked if he wanted to go up against him next. Kiba took one look at the illusion, rubbed his aching body and ran off. Naruto watched him flee in the opposite direction of the mountain. That pleased Naruto, but seeing him leave Neji behind troubled him. He left without so much as a second thought. He didn't even look back. Not once.

"He really doesn't care..." Naruto dispelled the illusion.

* * *

Doesn't the reunion with Ryosuke bring a smile to your face?

Please review! ^-^


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

Naruto stared off in the direction Kiba left. He was willing to abandon his ally. Neji was incapable of moving and Kiba did nothing to help him. He left him behind.

Naruto cast a sad eye back at Neji on the ground and clenched his fists. His friends never acted this way before. He didn't like it.

Behind the trees, Ryosuke ended his illusion, allowing Neji to move freely.

Able to move again, Neji struggled into a sitting position. Naruto was still watching him. Neji lifted his gaze to meet Naruto's eyes. They had changed slightly, looking more cat-like than human. He had the eyes of a fox though they kept their usual blue color.

"Go," Naruto told him quietly. He no longer had the energy to fight. Not against them.

Neji glared at him. He wasn't ready to leave just yet. Under a jutsu or not, Neji still had his pride. He wasn't going to be pitied. He certainly wasn't going to run off just because Naruto told him to.

Further up the mountain, screams started to flow down towards the small group. Naruto's ears twitched. The screams grew louder, coming closer to their location. Neji heard them, too, and turned his head in that direction.

Soon, ninja started to flee in a single direction, screaming and pushing each other out of the way. They were in retreat.

The sight towering above the trees had humans shaking but it had Naruto's heart skipping with joy. While others ran screaming, Naruto was smiling.

A giant fox loomed over the trees, spitting fire at the fleeing ninja. More fox magic. That wasn't all. A swarm of bats fluttered quickly after the ninja, screeching and slapping their heads with their wings. Other ninja came running from another direction though it was unclear the reason why. This illusion was hidden by trees so Naruto couldn't see it. Whatever it was, it had the ninja terrified.

Everyone was running away. They fled from the mountain and into the forest. They were leaving the land as quickly as they could. Even Neji was looking troubled. If the army of ninja were fleeing, then he would be left alone against everyone else. The odds weren't good. Thinking it was best to fight another day, Neji joined them. He ran away like all the others, leaving the mountain.

Behind the trees, Sakura breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God. I was hoping we wouldn't have to fight so many of our own. I'm so glad they ran off."

"The odds weren't looking good for us if that happened," added Shikamaru. He was happy the ninja ran off, too. He didn't want to fight normally, but even less against his own friends.

Ryosuke came out from his hiding place to stand beside Naruto. They nodded to each other and looked at the mountain. The other kitsune were up there.

Naruto had to see them.

Cupping his hands around his mouth, Naruto howled his message. "Narutooooooooo!"

His cry echoed over the trees and up the mountain. He hoped they would hear it.

From the trees, Sakura frowned in confusion. "He's howled his name before. I think it's stupid. Childish, really. I mean, why would he do that?"

"Howling is more of a wolf thing, but foxes howl, too. It's a good way to let the rest of the group know where they are. Maybe he's calling them to his location."

"I guess... But I heard his howl when we were leaving the area after our mission. I thought it was weird."

"Maybe he was saying good-bye."

"But he did that the night before he told me."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Maybe his call means more than we know."

It could have been many things. A salute, a call, a tribute, thanks, farewell, an expression of love, friendship. A call like that could have many meanings. Naruto's howl was powerful, that was for sure. Shikamaru wasn't sure what started him howling his own name like that, but there was a deep meaning to it. Possibly one that couldn't be explained through words.

Naruto stood, waiting. His heart was pounding in his chest. He hoped they heard it. He wanted them to come. He wanted to see them.

Rustling caught his ears. He could hear movement from up the mountain. He heard rocks shifting and grass parting, leaves crunching. He heard footsteps. Dozens of feet were coming his way.

Then he heard their voices.

"Is that him?"

"I heard him! I heard him!"

"Is that Naruto?"

"Naruto?!"

Overjoyed, Naruto's tail started wagging and his fox ears popped out of his head. "I'm here! I'm here! It's me!"

"It's him! It's him!"

"That's his voice!"

"That's his scent!"

That's when he saw them. Emerging from the shadows of the trees, furry foxy faces. Many of them he recognized. They ran towards him at full speed. Naruto bent down on one knee to greet them with open arms. They jumped into his chest, tackling him to the ground. Naruto fell over backwards, embracing the the dozens of furry bodies running over his body and licking his face.

"Sonar! Lunabell!" Naruto laughed, hugging the two foxes licking his face.

More foxes scampered over his body, stepping on his stomach and legs. Their tiny claws pinched him as they ran but he didn't mind. It was good to have them here. Other foxes pushed the two in his arms aside to lick at his cheeks and neck. Naruto laughed, their tongues tickling him.

"Sammi! Ishi! Egao!"

Naruto shifted into his fox form. They piled on top of him in a massive hug, squishing him into the ground. In the pile, fur tangled and paws were pressed into his face and body, but they were all laughing. When Naruto dug himself out of the pile, he looked around at all the foxes gathered around him. Superu was there, too, along with Aurora but they weren't as energetic as the others. They still smiled and nuzzled his face in greeting, licking him. Reki, Seki's younger brother was there, but the other foxes Naruto didn't know the names of. He knew they were the cursed foxes from the mansion who were freed but he had never officially met them.

Sakura and Shikamaru watched from where they hid, gaping at all the foxes. "Wow, I've never seen so many before."

"So those are all Naruto's kitsune friends? He called a bunch of them by name..."

Naruto finished greeting them all and asked after them. "You guys ok? Any of you get hurt?"

"No, no. We're all fine."

"The ninja ran off. Did you see?"

"It was my illusion that did it."

"Hey, I helped!"

The kitsune chattered and bragged until Ryosuke stood next to Naruto. When he did, everyone quieted at once.

"Naruto has something important to tell you all. Please listen." Ryosuke nudged Naruto with his nose. "Tell them what happened to your friends and why they attacked."

It was for the best that Naruto was the one to explain things. Naruto nodded and faced the large group.

"I'm sorry that they attacked you guys and the town. But it wasn't their fault. You see, those ninja who attacked you are my friends. They're ninja from my village. But they didn't attack you on purpose. The evil kitsune that attacked you guys first. The one who threatened you and me... Well, they came to my village and we defeated one. The other one is still out there but we don't know where he's hiding. But he did something to one of our own. He put a curse on a ninja to force him to control my friends into attacking you. That's why this happened. It's because of a kitsune curse."

Over half of the kitsune there knew what that was like. Knowing what it meant made them very understanding and knew that the ninja weren't responsible. Having been under a curse themselves, they knew what it was like to be helpless and at the mercy of someone else.

"Almost everyone in my village is under his control. Only two are left. They are the only ninja I have with me who are still on my side. Everyone else seems to be... Well, they attacked me, too. I don't want to fight my own friends but this kitsune is making it happen. I have to stop him but I don't know where he is. He's practically taken over my village and he's turned my friends against me. He's using them to attack you guys since he can't do it alone. That was why they attacked you. Please don't blame my friends. They never would have attacked you if that weren't the case."

"We understand, Naruto. We don't blame them."

"We're sorry this happened to you."

Naruto shook his head. "It's not your fault. I'm just glad Seki came and told me what was going on. Otherwise we wouldn't have been prepared and things would have been much worse. So thanks for sending Seki to tell me."

Reki pushed his way to the front. "Where is my brother anyway? Is Seki alright?"

Naruto wasn't sure how to answer. "Uh... Well... The thing is, I don't know where Seki is. After the first kitsune was defeated, he ran off. I think he's going to find the second kitsune. There are only two, right?"

"Yes. Only two came to threaten us. Ryosuke chased them off. That's when they said they were going after you and your village."

"Well, there's one left. Once he's defeated, everything will be ok. My friends will return to normal and you guys won't have to worry anymore."

"How's the prince?" asked Lunabell. "I heard people yelling from the town. I know they were attacked. Is the prince ok?"

Naruto hadn't thought about the palace. "I can go check."

"I'll go, too," said Ryosuke. Since he did business with the prince, he felt he should go offer the prince aid if he needed it. "Everyone else, back up the mountain. Keep an eye out in case anything happens."

The kitsune nodded to Ryosuke and did as they were told.

Naruto followed Ryosuke out of the forest toward the palace. Sakura and Shikamaru joined them. The buildings they passed were still smoldering and sending smoke into the air. None of the homes had fallen, but it seemed one or two families would be homeless while others were repairable. All the people were off the street and safely tucked away within the palace walls.

The guards at the gate wouldn't let them pass, seeing the headbands Sakura and Shikamaru wore on their person. This was an issue Sakura had seen before when they were in another village. The people would associate anyone with the mark of the Leaf as an enemy because of the other ninja abusing it.

However, the two kitsune changed their minds. Since the kitsune had become guardians of the land and the three-tailed one had become close to the prince when it came to business and protection, the guards were willing to let them pass.

"We're not going in without these two accompanying us," Naruto told the guards.

Reluctantly, the guards allowed them inside. Heavily watched, of course.

Naruto looked at Ryosuke who was starting to turn down another path, away from the main entrance. "What are you doing?" Naruto asked him.

"I never enter the palace," he explained. "The prince and I always do business in the garden. Alone."

"Oh."

Did this mean they couldn't meet with the prince themselves?

"Of course, you'll be coming along, Naruto. And your two friends."

"Oh, good."

Ryosuke took the lead, heading straight for the garden. Naruto followed him, remembering where the prince's private garden was from his first time at the palace. Shikamaru and Sakura tried to follow the kitsune but the guards wouldn't let them. Not wanting to cause a fuss by trying to break away from the guards and go on ahead, they remained close to the guards, weapons drawn and pointed at them.

Ryosuke easily ran up the side of the wall and over a small tree to get to the private garden. Naruto tried to mimic his moves but Naruto couldn't fully scale the tree as Ryosuke had done. He still managed to land on the grass without harm. Ryosuke walked slowly to the center of the garden and sat facing the door. Naruto sat with him but further away. Naruto still felt that it was only proper to have the leader in a place of honor. If the leader was sitting in the center of the garden, Naruto would sit off to the side and a little behind him. This way the prince would see Ryosuke first, as the one of greater importance. Naruto wasn't sure why he felt that way but he did.

The door opened and out came the prince. Akio was looking to be in good health. More so than the last time Naruto had seen him. He was dressed in his night clothes but had an expensive robe covering them. He looked at Ryosuke, bowing his head slightly in respect. "Evening, Ryosuke," he said calmly, though his eyes showed a great deal of alarm. "I wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

Naruto called out to him. "You got here fast. Did you know we were coming?"

"The guards just told me. I knew where to meet."

Before Akio could close the only door, the two guards from the gate appeared with Sakura and Shikamaru. It was too difficult for a human being to enter the garden the way the foxes did so they had to take a different route.

"The kitsune told us to bring these two here, M'lord. Said they wouldn't meet otherwise."

Naruto was on his feet, seeing the guards restrain his friends so roughly. "Hey, knock that off! They didn't even attack your town! They helped put out those fires and save the people. Let them go!"

Akio had the final say when it came to such things, but thankfully, he was on Naruto's side. "Release them at once. I know this girl from before. She was a ninja who helped us before. I know she means no harm. And if this kitsune likes the two of them then they must be worthy of trust. They must be friends."

The guards released their grip on Shikamaru and Sakura. Akio made sure they were both unharmed.

"If they helped save my people then I see no reason not to trust them." Akio looked at his guards. "You are dismissed. I can take it from here."

"But, sire, what if they..?"

"I can handle it. In any case, there are two trustworthy kitsune in my company who can help should anything go amiss. Now please leave us."

The guards obeyed, walking shoulder to shoulder out the door and closing it behind themselves.

The prince gave a huge sigh of relief. "I'm so sorry about that. I knew I knew you from that last mission a few months ago. Sakura, right? I don't believe I've met you, though. I am Prince Akio and this is my palace. Though I'm sure we're aware of that by now."

"My name is Shikamaru. And don't worry about it."

"My guards are on edge as I'm sure you're aware. We were just attacked by people baring that mark." Akio pointed to the Leaf headband strapped to Shikamaru's arm. "I'm sure they thought you were attacking us, too. But I heard some of the townspeople telling of some ninja helping them out of the burning buildings, so I figured there were some good ones amongst the bad."

"They're not bad! They're just-" Naruto shut himself up. He knew Akio had no idea what was going on. It was a rather long story. "We should probably fill you in."

Akio took a seat in his wooden gazebo and had the ninja catch him up on everything that has happened so far. All starting from the threat that came to the mountain, to the attack on the Leaf Village, Karada and his jutsu and everything that had taken place from there.

"I see," Akio said slowly. "So that's how it is. Your ninja friends can't be held responsible. Not if what you've told me is true."

"It's all true," Naruto insisted. "Sakura and Shikamaru are probably the only ones left. And it's all because of a kitsune curse."

Shikamaru nodded. "We believe that one of the wicked kitsune put a curse on one of our own, forcing him to take control of the rest of the village. Under his command, they attacked the mountain and the town. They have no say in the matter. I was a spy, trying to find out how this man was doing it and why. That's how I came to the conclusion that a kitsune is responsible. Karada is under a kitsune curse, so even he cannot be completely faulted for this."

Akio nodded his head slowly with a pained look on his face. "Yes. I understand." He gave a heavy sigh, looking down at the smooth wood under his feet. "Him being under a kitsune curse."

The prince had been under a kitsune curse for over two years, helplessly watching an imposter run amok in his town. No one noticed that it wasn't the real him. The kitsune was ruining the prince's reputation while the real one lay trapped in a portrait of himself in the hallway. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak. He couldn't warn anyone of what was happening. His biggest fear during that time was that no one would know the truth. That everyone would think it was his doing. Without proof, it would be next to impossible to prove even if the kitsune did set him free. It was his word against what everyone else had witnessed with a practically flawless impersonation.

The prince could relate to Karada in that respect. Once again, a kitsune was pulling the strings, leading everyone to believe he was the one in control when he actually was not. Just like with the prince, Karada wasn't the real enemy. The kitsune was. They were just being used as a cover.

"The jutsu Karada is using is a kind of loyalty type of thing. The whole idea behind it is to make a person loyal only to one person to eliminate conflict of the heart. Like if you were told that for the greater good, you had to attack and kill someone you loved. There's a big chance you wouldn't go through with it or find a way around it. This jutsu takes care of that. Under its influence, you'll attack your loved one and not think twice about it."

Akio frowned. "That's awful. So heartless."

Shikamaru nodded in agreement. "I read his file. There was a list of things they wanted to use this guy's jutsu for. Even to correct past missions for the future."

"What does that mean?" asked Naruto.

"That scenarios from past missions won't be repeated," answered Shikamaru. "In the file, it did list a few missions from the past they wanted to correct. Missions they felt were failed. There was one where a group of ninja had to rescue a daughter of noble descent. The kidnappers wanted a ransom for her but the girl's father wasn't willing to negotiate, knowing they might not fulfill their end of the deal. So these ninja were hired to get her back and arrest the men if possible. They got the girl but one of the ninja were taken during the struggle. So the kidnappers tried to do a trade. The girl for the ninja. If they did not get the girl back, they would kill the ninja. This put the ninja in a rough spot. Thankfully one of the ninja from the group managed to sneak behind the kidnappers and rescue their friend. The details of how were enclosed in the file. But when the higher-ups saw that the ninja were actually thinking about taking the deal to save their friend, they knew something had to be done. In future missions, using this jutsu, the ninja would leave their friend behind to complete the mission they were given: save the girl. Even if that meant letting a comrade die."

"Using the jutsu, those ninja wouldn't care," added Sakura. "They never would have taken the deal because they wouldn't care one way or another about their friend. The jutsu erases bonds. Comrades for the mission because they had to work together to complete it, but dead weight if one of them gets captured or injured. They wouldn't go back to help them."

"Exactly," said Shikamaru. "They don't have a bond anymore. And now, the same goes for our friends. They're only loyal to Karada. They don't have bonds with anyone anymore."

"I don't believe that," said Naruto.

Sakura gave him a stern look. "Naruto, Sai just tried to kill you in the town. Our friends are attacking us without holding anything back. It's pretty clear, Naruto."

He shook his head. "No. I just can't believe it."

"What does it take to convince you, Naruto? Their bonds are gone."

"It can't be that easy to erase bonds!" Naruto snapped. "It's not!"

He had their undivided attention.

"When I fought Neji just a little while ago, he remembered the Chunin exams. He knew we fought each other. He remembered that I won. How the hell can he recall all that and not have some sort of bond come from it? It doesn't make any sense. The things people go through, the things we remember... They help create bonds. You can't have one without the other. I just don't believe that. Even talking to someone, learning their name, you're creating a bond there, too. A small one, but it's something. Sorry, but I just can't believe that this jutsu can erase bonds. I just can't."

Naruto understood the connections between people. He understood the heart and what it felt like when a person entered it. They weren't so easily forgotten. Bonds of love, bonds of friendship, even of rivalry. They weren't so easily severed. It was impossible as far as Naruto was concerned.

"All that aside," said Shikamaru, "we still have a situation on our hands."

"Exactly," said Sakura. "We have to find a way to get everything back to normal. And now that they've attacked the town, I think they're making their move. The kitsune managed to run them off for now, but they'll be back."

"Maybe not tonight," said Shikamaru. "I think they won't attack again so soon. I think they were testing to see if they could tonight. Either that or they were trying to scare the people who lived here. Just like the fire at our village. They were showing off what they could do."

"Yes, but this fire was real, Shikamaru."

"My guards are positioned all around my palace, inside and out. If anything should happen, they'll see it and warn everyone," said Akio. "Thankfully no one was terribly hurt. The townspeople are all accounted for and only a few of them have minor injuries. I'm just glad no one was killed."

Naruto's heart sank like a stone into his stomach. "Not everyone made it out alive," he said quietly. "Jack, the horse from the farm, was killed tonight. He's dead."

Akio shared in Naruto's sadness. "I'm so sorry to hear that." Akio was an animal lover, but he also understood that to kitsune, animals were a lot like people interacting with each other. They may as well have lost a human being.

Naruto sniffled. "Jack died trying to help. He..." He couldn't go on.

Ryosuke nuzzled Naruto's face, comforting him. He, too, had tears in his eyes, though he was trying to hide them.

"Then he will be given a place of honor," declared the prince. "Rest assured, I will see that Jack is given a proper burial. I can see that he meant a lot to you."

"Thank you." Naruto meant it. Knowing that Jack was at least going to be buried properly gave him a bit of closure. He wasn't feeling so sad anymore.

"In the meantime, I would like to help you as much as I can," Akio told the ninja. "I'm not sure what I can do for you. I can't spare any of my guards and I fear they lack the sort of training you're used to. But I'm more than happy to give you any supplies you may need for your journey. Food, water, medical needs, please don't hesitate to ask."

Sakura was thrilled to hear this. They were in desperate need of supplies. "Thank you so much!"

"Most of the townspeople are in my palace but I'm sure we have room for you still. Please, rest in my home for the night. I'm sure you need it."

Again, Sakura was thrilled to hear this. However, she was apprehensive about spending the night in a place that was just attacked. "I don't know... Maybe we should keep watch tonight if something happens."

"They already attacked once," said Shikamaru. "I don't think they'll attack again so soon. Not twice in one night."

"But they might think you'll think that and do it anyway."

"It would be unwise for them to do that, even if the idea is to surprise us. Most of them were running scared for the kitsune. They were few in numbers to begin with." Shikamaru frowned. "Which has me wondering where everyone else ran off to. It's like the group split. I only saw a few dozen ninja in the town and mountain. So where are the others?"

"Maybe they're with Karada," suggested Sakura. "Naruto said that the guy was weakened so maybe they stayed with him to keep him safe."

"Hm, maybe..." Something wasn't sitting right with Shikamaru. He wanted to know where the rest of the ninja were. They couldn't all be with Karada.

"Speaking of which..." Sakura turned to Ryosuke. "I wanted to ask you a couple of things about kitsune curses. If I may."

Being around a three-tailed kitsune commanded some respect from those who were in its presence. Sakura was polite, if not a little timid toward Ryosuke when she addressed him. Naruto wasn't sure if she noticed it herself. Naruto guessed it was the same reason why he felt the need to be respectful toward Ryosuke and occasionally had the urge to bow his head to him.

Ryosuke nodded. "What did you want to know?"

"The leader of our village has been missing since this whole thing began. And so has one of our friends. We thought they were cursed into objects and that's why we can't find them. But I was starting to wonder if they could be cursed into other people."

"What do you mean?"

"Before we found out who Karada was, I was actually wondering if it was the Hokage cursed into Karada. Now I'm wondering if that's possible. And since kitsune can't use jutsu, I know Karada can't be the one remaining kitsune."

Ryosuke gave it some serious thought. "Kitsune curses are complicated. Almost unpredictable. However, they usually effect a person physically. Like turning one into an object. But changing someone completely into another person, even with a new personality... No, I don't think that's possible."

That was a relief. That was one less thing Sakura had to worry about. However, it meant that the Hokage and Hinata were still out there.

"It seems that each kitsune ability effects a person in a different way, but never at the same time," Sakura thought aloud. "Like illusions. They only effect a person's mind. But curse effects a person's body. I'm not sure where possession falls, though."

"Even illusions aren't completely metal," said Ryosuke. "We're not directly effecting a person's mind when we do it. The illusion is just an optical trick. Anyone can see it so it isn't limited to one person."

"I see," she said. "Sort of like using Shadow Clones. They're not real, but anyone can see them when they're conjured. I get it. But still. Your illusions can effect all the senses. You have to admit that that sounds metal to some extent. Though the senses are also physical. Wow, this stuff is complicated."

"But Sakura did bring up an interesting question," said Shikamaru. "Every curse we've come across seems to effect someone in a physical way. Not everyone becomes an object. Naruto's a kitsune, Neji once had his sight taken away and Shino's bugs. But when I was cursed, the kitsune took away my genius. My ability to think doesn't seem physical to me. So I was wondering if a curse can effect the mind. While Karada has every reason to attack the Leaf out of a sense of justice and revenge, he still seems to be under a curse to me. So can a kitsune curse effect a person's mind? Maybe the kitsune is controlling him, since a kitsune can't use jutsu themselves. It makes sense."

Ryosuke again thought about it. "Every kitsune curse is different. I can't say for sure one way or another. However, I can tell you that controlling a human's mind through a curse is impossible. Outside of possession, a kitsune can't effect a human's free will."

"So Karada might not be being controlled after all," said Sakura. "At least not in that way."

"However, there is a way around it," said Ryosuke. "A curse could be used to effect the mind in another way. Much like taking away one's intellect. Most curses involve taking something away from the person. Like taking away genius, sight, even in Naruto's case, a human form and his ninja talents. Maybe something was taken away from Karada to make him do this."

Shikamaru thought about it. "Maybe a curse involves a person personally. Something important to them or related in another way. Even ironically. Maybe the curse took away Karada's loyalty to the Leaf. That would be ironic, having someone who uses a jutsu to command loyalty get his own loyalty taken away."

"That's an interesting idea. Maybe that's what happened to him."

Shikamaru still wasn't sure. "I don't know. It's a thought but a part of me still isn't convinced. I'll have to see Karada's reactions when Naruto gets him riled up again. According to Naruto, that's when he started to act strange."

Ryosuke turned his head, facing the mountain. It was as if it were speaking to him. Ryosuke turned back and said, "Your guards will protect the area. My kitsune will look after everything else. We'll all do our part to protect."

"Good to hear," said Akio. "Thank you."

"In the meantime, I'll return to the mountain."

Akio nodded and turned to the ninja. "We have space for you inside. Please make yourselves at home. If you need anything at all, my servants will attend to you."

"Thanks so much," said Sakura. Sleeping in a bed and having a hot meal brought to her sounded like heaven after all this. She didn't want to sleep on the ground for one more night.

She motioned for Naruto to come but he didn't follow.

"Uh, actually..." Naruto began. "Would you guys mind if... Um..."

"What?"

"If it's ok with you, I think I'd like to stay with the kitsune in the mountain tonight," said Naruto. "If you don't mind."

"With them?" Sakura said slowly.

Naruto nodded. For reasons he could not explain, he wanted to stay with the kitsune tonight. Part of him thought it was because he missed them so much he wanted time to catch up. However, another part of him told him that there was another reason. What that reason was he did not know. Just like before, he felt drawn to that mountain. He wanted to be there.

"Ok," said Sakura. "That's fine. Go ahead."

Shikamaru gave her a look.

Naruto's ears pointed upward. "Really?"

"Sure. It's fine. We'll see you in the morning." Sakura gave him a smile but it wasn't cheerful at all. It was forced. "If that's what you want, then go ahead. We don't mind."

Naruto didn't like her fake smile. Now he wanted to stay with them, thinking it would make her happy. Him being with her must have been what she wanted him to do. However, he knew he wouldn't stay here. He would sneak out just like before to see the kitsune. He didn't want to say he would stay if it was going to be a lie. In his heart, he knew he wanted to be with the kitsune tonight.

"You sure?"

Sakura nodded again. "Have a good night, Naruto."

Naruto stood up. "I'll see you guys in the morning," he told them. Then he turned and followed Ryosuke out of the garden.

Sakura watched them leave, her fake smile dropping into a sad frown. "I hope so," she whispered to herself.

Shikamaru stood closer to her. "What are you so worried about? You think Naruto's animal instincts will get stronger if he's away from us? I'll admit he has his ups and downs sometimes, but do you really think he'll become wild if he's away from people?"

Sakura sighed. "I was before, but I'm over that. Now it's something else."

"What then?"

"I'm worried that Naruto..." Sakura bit her lip. "I'm worried that Naruto might prefer being a kitsune than a human. Ever since he reunited with them, he hasn't changed back into a human. Even to speak with the prince. And Naruto was very excited about having his kitsune powers back. I was just worried that he might chose to stay this way. What if Naruto decides to be a fox instead of a human?"

"I doubt that."

"But what if he does? Suddenly the kitsune and the mountain seem so important to him."

"That's not true," said Shikamaru. "It's important, alright, but it's not the only important thing in his life. He knew he had to go there because the kitsune were in danger and he wanted to help. They're his friends. But we're his friends, too. He's been there for us as well."

Sakura sighed again. "I don't know..."

"Naruto has a lot of things going on right now. His curse is one of them. It's a big deal. As much fun as it seems, I know it has its problems as well that Naruto has to deal with. And I'm not going to pretend to understand how his animal instincts work. You just have to trust in Naruto and know that he'll make the right choice. Naruto knows what he's doing."

"That's what I'm worried about," she told him. "What if Naruto decides he's better off living as a fox than a human? You saw how happy he was when he was with the kitsune."

"He hadn't seen them for a long time. You would react the same way if you hadn't seen your dear friends for a long time. Don't worry about it. Naruto knows he's human."

"I know that. What I don't know is if he'll want to stay that way. Even if he knows he's a human, what if he likes being a fox better?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Before heading inside to their rooms, Sakura looked off in the direction of the mountain, hoping that Naruto would decide to come back in the morning. A part of her feared he wouldn't return this time.

After all, the mountain was home to the kitsune. Naruto was a kitsune.

* * *

Running back to the mountain with Ryosuke brought back such fond memories in Naruto. Racing him up the side of the mountain was like old times when they were teaching him how to be a fox. Not wanting to be protected, Naruto kept up with Ryosuke so he wouldn't have to look back to check on him during their climb. Not much had changed during their time apart, or even since the last time he was a kitsune. Naruto hadn't slowed at all. He was still strong and was able to climb the mountain just as well as he did before.

Touching the grass at the top of the mountain was like setting foot in his bedroom after a long journey. A comforting relief. The kitsune were all there and came to greet him a second time. Again faces were licked and necks were nuzzled.

The seriousness of before was now gone. The kitsune invited Naruto to join them in a game and he happily agreed. They played hide-and-seek and tag around the trees, jumping over the stream and to the grass on the other side. They offered him food from the leftover offerings they buried earlier that evening. Naruto accepted them because he was hungry and because he knew they could afford to share this time. Now that the offerings were back, the kitsune had more than enough food to go around.

Naruto felt at peace here on the mountain. He could lie on his back and look at the stars that looked so close he could reach out and touch them. On the top of the mountain, far from buildings and people, the sky looked so much bigger. Wider. Unspoiled. If he faced the right direction, there weren't even any trees to block his view of the sky. It made him feel as if he were floating under the stars. No, rather that he was among them. It was beautiful.

Even the games he played were fun. Even the games with no rules. There were times where they simply tackled each other and tried to pin the other one down. Other games were of them climbing on each other and nothing more than that. Naruto didn't mind being pinned a few times, having fur mesh with fur and feeling the other's warmth close to his body. He felt close to them. Being pressed together was a silent way of saying he wasn't alone. He felt their love. For him and each other.

As the sun started to rise, the kitsune retreated into the trees to sleep. Curious as to where they went, Naruto followed them. There was a fox hole between the roots of a tall tree the kitsune were all climbing into. Even on the top of the mountain, kitsune didn't want to be exposed. Naruto climbed inside the tunnel. It was wider the further in he went until it opened up into a small dirt cave. All the kitsune managed to fit inside, though they were packed together. The den was big enough to house all the kitsune and their treasures. It seemed that a few of the younger kitsune had taken to collecting objects they found interesting and kept them in their den. Among them were small well-chewed branches from berry bushes with leaves still attached, a wooden top weathered by time and the elements and a few pieces of worn cloth. There were small stones among their treasures which they used to gnaw on like chew toys or how a human would suck on a mint.

Naruto was welcomed into the pile of furry bodies. Some of the younger kitsune refused to sleep so quickly and played with their treasures. Everyone else got into the pile and slept. Naruto closed his eyes and listened to the clattering of the stones the kitsune were playing with.

A few hours later, Naruto woke up. He looked around at the sleeping kitsune. Ryosuke wasn't among them. Curious, he got up to look for him. The den was just tall enough for Naruto to stand up in as a fox. If he were a human, he never would have fit. Even if the den was a little cramped, he still found it cozy. It was nice and dry and warm. Naruto crawled up the narrow tunnel and out into sunlight, making him squint. It was so quiet in the den, he couldn't hear the birds chirping outside. He almost forgot that it was daytime now.

Near the waterfall was Ryosuke, looking out at the town below. Some of the houses were a dark color from the fire last night, visible even from here. Some people were already starting to help rebuild. Anything salvageable was taken out and piled into boxes and wagons. The rest of the people must have been at the palace.

Naruto sat beside Ryosuke and watched the town. It was a quiet morning.

"Couldn't sleep?" Ryosuke asked him.

"Why aren't you?" Naruto asked.

"I wanted to make sure things were ok." No matter what, Ryosuke was watching over them. Human and fox.

Naruto still had an uneasy feeling surging through his body. Now even more so. He couldn't understand why. Was it because inside he wanted to talk to Ryosuke about it? Is that why it was flaring up now? Maybe it was the right thing to do. He should talk to Ryosuke about it. Now seemed like a good time but he wasn't sure how to start.

"Is something bothering you, Naruto?" Ryosuke asked.

"Uh... Um..." Naruto looked down. "I'm not sure how to explain it."

"You can try."

Taking a deep breath, Naruto tried his best. "You see, there are times when my animal instincts kick in. It's at random. But sometimes, I can't tell if they're my instincts or animal instincts. It's weird. But lately, I've been feeling restless and I can't explain it. I thought it was because I wanted to see you guys. I missed the mountain a lot and I missed you guys a lot so I thought that was the reason for it. I just missed you and wanted to see you. When I came here, I was drawn to the mountain. I wanted to see you and everyone else. Now that I'm here, I thought the feeling would go away. But I still feel restless and I don't know why. I don't understand this."

Ryosuke continued to look out at the town. "It might be your curse."

"That's what Sakura thought and I was starting to wonder that myself."

"You're two halves of a whole. You're half kitsune and half human. Your instincts from both sides are being meshed together. Sometimes it's obvious which is dominate and times when it's unclear. Sometimes it can even be two at once. Maybe you feel so restless because both sides are battling it out inside of you. You have a lot going on inside of you. You also have a lot to deal with out here, between your friends and the battles and the one remaining kitsune. It's like you're at war with yourself. Even your instincts are trying to deal with the situation, fighting over which part of you should handle the situation and how you should react."

"Yes, yes, that sounds about right." Naruto knew there was a reason for him to be feeling this way. Good thing Ryosuke knew what was going on. "So my instincts are in conflict with each other. That makes sense."

"It's a guess. The details of a kitsune curse aren't always known but we can piece it together. And after what you told me, that sounds about right. But I think it's also the stress of the whole situation you're in. Your friends, your village, the enemy not enemy, and the remaining kitsune. I don't blame you for being restless."

Naruto understood. The way he was feeling was understandable. Not a problem. "But there is one thing. Sakura was upset about my curse. She saw me act like a fox and it got her a little worried. I heard her talk about it before but I also know what she means without saying it to my face. I think she's worried I'm becoming more animal than human. You don't think I'll forget how to be a human, do you? I know she's worried about that."

"She has nothing to fear," Ryosuke said confidently. "We're foxes but we're not savage, are we?"

Naruto shook his head.

"You are part human and kitsune. Though we may be wild animals, we are not wild. So you shouldn't be either. You and Sakura don't have to fear. You'll be fine. I know you won't forget you're human. And you won't become savage."

"You sure?" Naruto asked.

Ryosuke turned away from the town and touched his head to Naruto's. "Aren't you the one who said that we each get to choose our own path? And that just because one turned out a certain way doesn't mean it's destiny?"

Before Ryosuke was scared to become a two-tailed fox because of how evil Reevo, another two-tailed kitsune, was and refused to change. He thought one change would make him change. It didn't. Naruto told him that and encouraged Ryosuke to become the leader, ensuring him that he wasn't going to become evil. Now that Ryosuke had three tails, he was still a strong, benevolent leader and a loving protector. Having two tails didn't change him. Therefore, Naruto would not change either. He had to chose that for himself. It was always in his control.

Naruto smiled and nuzzled Ryosuke.

"It's weird that some things feel so natural but people look at you funny and other things are just so..." Naruto chuckled. "I'm not sure what I should suppress and what I should embrace. I mean we all have urges, but some we don't act on. I'm just not sure which ones I should act on if they all feel right."

"That's complicated, Naruto," Ryosuke told him. "I would say you'll know in your heart, but you're still conflicted. If I tell you not to ignore any of them, you might do something you wished you hadn't."

Naruto rested his head on Ryosuke's shoulder. "So what do I do?" He didn't want to hurt his friends if his instincts told him to and it felt right. He also didn't want to ignore something that would save their lives. He needed answers.

"Surround yourself with your friends," said Ryosuke. "When you're with them, I think it will become more clear. You just have to trust yourself."

Every action had consequences. The idea that if it felt good it should be done was wrong many times. It might feel good to hit someone when they annoyed you, but that was wrong. If Naruto killed Karada like he wanted to do before, he would have never learned that he wasn't their real enemy and that killing him might make the jutsu permanent. Killing his friends under the control of the jutsu would stop them from attacking but it would cost them their lives and Naruto would lose them. These were reasons why he couldn't always do what his urges wanted him to do. There were rights and wrongs to every situation. Naruto just had to figure out which was the right call.

"Trust yourself, Naruto," Ryosuke repeated.

What sort of person did he want to be? What kind of Hokage did he want to be?

He aspired to change things. When he heard of how ninja were being trained, he wanted to improve things. When he learned about Karada's situation, he wanted to help.

Inside he knew what to do. He just had to trust in himself and in his friends. He was never going to make it anywhere without them. They were there to support and inspire him.

Naruto wasn't alone in this. He still had people with him.

"You know the funny thing, Ryosuke?" said Naruto with a small smile. "What I'm feeling now about that stuff and the conflicting feelings... some people think that it wouldn't be an issue if we didn't feel that way. That emotions are a problem and aren't needed. But they're wrong. Because if I didn't have those feelings, I would have just given up. I wouldn't bother to rescue my friends. I would have never come to the mountain. I need those feelings. Even if sometimes it's a pain, I still need them."

Ryosuke nodded. "Well said."

Naruto looked out over the mountain, thinking about everything he had learned. Thinking about his friends and conflicting emotions and instincts.

He realized there was another reason why he was feeling so restless. He was still connected. He was connected to the kitsune and to the ninja. They had a bond.

Because of that bond, he knew he had to do something. There was no way he was going to leave it at this. That was another reason for his restlessness. He knew he still had a mission to complete.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23:**

The palace was buzzing with servants tending to all the townspeople taking refuge in the walls. There was enough space to hold them, but feeding this many people on such short notice was an issue. The ninja stayed out of the way and kept to their rooms. Sakura slept a little later than usual because of the late hour she went to bed. When she got up, she asked if the prince was preparing supplies for them. A servant returned with a bag she could use to carry any items she needed. Food was still being prepared, but she was given a lovely breakfast she could eat in her room. Shikamaru slept in and ate when he woke up. Sakura didn't bother him. She had other things on her mind.

As time passed, Sakura started to make a list of things they would need for their journey. The prince could spare them food and water and medical supplies. Other than that, they were on their own. Sakura started to pack the bag given to her, keeping track of everything that went in it. She put in a small blanket, some rope, a small medical kit in addition to what she was already carrying, extra food and a full water bottle. She would pack the rest of the food later when it was prepared.

"Sakura?"

She looked towards the door. Shikamaru was standing there watching her.

"Still packing?" he asked.

"Just this one bag. Did the prince give you one, too? We can't expect him to give us any ninja tools but this will do just fine. It's a big help."

Shikamaru looked out the window at the sun. "Naruto hasn't come back yet, has he?"

Sakura pressed the contents of the bag down with her hand, making more room at the top. She kept her head turned, hoping Shikamaru wouldn't notice how concerned she was. "No, he hasn't."

"He will."

Sakura gripped the bag tightly. "How do you know?"

"Because he's our friend."

"But he's friends with them, too."

Shikamaru came closer. "So you're doubting him?"

"No, of course not." Sakura never doubted him. "When we first became a team, I thought he was a complete idiot. He kept messing up and he didn't know anything. It was a miracle he became a ninja with his low test scores. I knew I had to look after him because he was totally helpless. Then I realized that he was a lot stronger than I knew. When he sets his mind to something, he gets it done. I always know I can depend on him. He never had friends before so he knows how important they are and wants to protect them. I like that about him."

"So what are you worried about?"

Sakura frowned. "That he has friends who aren't human. He has to protect them, too. I can't expect him to leave them when we all know they're in danger. Naruto won't do that. He'd never leave a friend behind. I'm just worried that he'll decide to stay here with them because he knows they need him. He might not come with us. It's not just the curse I'm worried about. It's Naruto's passion. Those two things might make him feel like he has to stay here with them. He knows they need help in this fight. So he might..."

"We need him, too, and Naruto knows that," Shikamaru told her. "I don't think he'll stay here knowing that we need him, too."

Sakura didn't want to say anything, but she could see in his eyes that Shikamaru had a trace of doubt. Even he was considering the possibility that Naruto would choose to stay with the kitsune in the mountain because his instincts told him to and because his heart desired to help them. Naruto was unpredictable at times but under this curse he was even more so.

Shikamaru looked out the window again. "We can't stay here. We have to go."

"What about the town? They're bound to be attacked again. The mountain is what the enemy wants. If we're here, we can help defend them."

Shikamaru shook his head. "No. It's because we're here that they're in danger. I was thinking it over last night. I noticed that they attacked in a small group. It wasn't the whole village that came here. Only a few dozen. And they attacked the town first. I thought it was as a distraction. It could have been. But I also noticed that when they started attacking the townspeople and we intervened, they stopped and focused their attention on us. Even outnumbered, they still didn't attack the people once we started to fight them. I think we were the ones they were after. They wanted to lure us out."

"But why?" asked Sakura. "Just because we're the only ones not under control of that jutsu? We're hopelessly outnumbered as it is. What does it matter if we're on their side or not?"

"Because of Naruto," said Shikamaru. "I think the enemy wants to make sure that Naruto doesn't have any allies at all. That will be a blow to him for sure. We already know how vindictive these enemy kitsune can be. It's not hard to imagine that they would go so far to make sure someone feels completely helpless. Though they might be after the mountain, they're having fun tormenting anyone who's a friend of the kitsune living in it. Which includes Naruto. They're tormenting him because he's a friend. So his friends are also targets."

She knew it was true. "You're right. And if we're here, they're going to come back. They know where we are now. We can't stay in an area for too long because of that."

"I also don't think they'll attack in the middle of the day. They attacked at night the last time and now that everyone's looking for them I doubt they'll return now of all times. In any case, we can't stay here for too long. The people are in more danger with us around. We have to lure the enemy away from the people."

"Right. And according to what Seki told us, the enemy kitsune also wants this area because there are humans here. They want to torment the humans for fun. Not kill them. So I don't think last night they were trying to kill anyone. That would mean less people to torture later. But if we do stay here and we get attacked, someone might be hurt in the crossfire. It'll be an accident."

"Not worth the risk. We should leave as soon as possible."

Sakura let out a small gasp. "Captain Yamato! I healed him last night but when we went back, I noticed that he was gone. Do you think he was carried off by the group that ran away? They don't seem like they would. But I didn't think he would be well enough to move on his own yet."

"Your medical skills are good, Sakura. Better than Ino's. He might have been able to if you healed him."

Sakura was worried again. "Where did he go? With the group?"

"I'm not sure."

A servant knocked on the door. "The food is prepared for whenever you're ready."

"Thanks." Sakura stood up. "If Naruto doesn't come soon, what should we do?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "If all else fails, go find him ourselves."

"We can't leave without him," Sakura said firmly. "He's the only one who can help us in this fight. He can see through the illusions and we can't. We need him."

"And he needs us. Don't forget that, Sakura."

The two went down to the kitchen to gather up the food the chefs prepared for them. Several boxed lunches were stacked and ready for taking. Sakura stuffed six into her bag. Not a single thing more would fit. Her bag stuffed, Shikamaru took the rest into his bag, packing it away.

"Thank you," Sakura told the cooks. "We really appreciate this."

"It's alright. We remember how helpful you were to us the last time you were here. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank us anyway. It was the prince's orders." The cook frowned. "Come to think of it, he should have been here to speak with you before you left. I wonder where he is."

"He was supposed to come here to meet us?" Shikamaru asked.

"Well, he wasn't sure when you would be leaving but he said he wanted to speak with you before you left. I figured he would be here, since you needed to pack up the food for your trip."

Shikamaru and Sakura looked at each other.

"Where was he the last time you spoke with him?" Sakura asked quickly.

"Uh, he gave us the order this morning at breakfast."

"Where was he?"

"In the morning room, but we saw him leave."

"But do you know where he is now?"

The cooks and head chef shook their heads.

Knowing the prince's schedule from their first mission at the palace, Sakura knew he would be doing work in one of the other rooms with several servants around him. If he wasn't there, it was a sign of trouble.

"Come on!" Sakura grabbed Shikamaru and dragged him upstairs, leaving their bags behind with the cooks. Sakura asked every servant they passed if they knew where the prince was. Few had seen him but others knew he should have been in one of the many offices doing paperwork. When the servants brought them to the room, the prince wasn't there. "This way!" Sakura dragged Shikamaru back into the hall.

"Where are we going?" he asked her.

"The prince has several hidden passages leading out of the palace. But the passages work both ways. If someone could get out then someone can get in. Neji saw those passages our first time here and he was one of the ninja attacking last night. He could have told the other ninja where they were."

"So they can sneak ninja into the palace," Shikamaru realized.

"Yes. And one of those passages leads right into the prince's bedroom!"

Sakura led the way, knowing exactly where to go. She went straight to the wing where the prince's bedroom was located and up to the door. With no time to think of a plan, Sakura kicked down the door.

Akio was sitting calmly on his bed. His eyes focused on her the second she entered. "Oh. Hello, Sakura." His gaze darted to the left. "Um, there's a bit of a situation going on right now."

His eyes were focused on the kunai pointed at his throat.

Yamato held the handle in his right hand. "I asked the prince politely if he would be so kind to tell me where he was keeping you, but he wouldn't answer any of my questions."

"I didn't call for help because I didn't want any of my servants to be in danger if they tried to do something," said the prince, trying to lean away from the tip of the kunai. As soon as he tried, Yamato pulled him closer with his other hand.

"Now, now," said Yamato. "Don't go running off. I still need you for bargaining." Yamato was still weak from last night. The hand holding the kunai wasn't steady, making it even more dangerous. His injuries weren't fully healed and his body desperately needed rest.

"Captain Yamato..."

He looked at the ninja calling his name. "Oh, Sakura. I know you're the one who healed me last night. Thank you. If it weren't for you, I never would have made it this far. Naruto really did a number on me. But I was actually hoping he would go after you two. Too bad things didn't work out as I had planned it."

"So he did want Naruto to kill us when he was in that state," said Sakura. "That's why he didn't seal Naruto's chakra."

"Correct." The blade in Yamato's hand wobbled, dangerously close to cutting into Akio's neck. "So maybe we can work something out. Your lives for his. How about that?"

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. "You're just going to kill Akio either way. It'll be easier if we weren't around to stop you, that's all."

"You really are as smart as everyone says." Yamato moved closer to Akio. "But the smart thing would have been to kill me last night. Or even not healed me at all. That way none of this would be happening. Mercy is for the weak. This is why emotions get in the way of the mission."

Akio grimaced as the tip of the kunai pressed into his neck.

"Captain Yamato, please stop!" Sakura pleaded.

"One way or another, he's going to die. If you move closer, if you do nothing, or as Shikamaru said." Yamato's hand trembled. "You have no options."

There was nothing they could do. Both ninja were braced and ready but there was nothing they could do that would end in their favor. None of their attacks would reach in time. They would never be able to run the distance to the bed before Yamato did anything.

Thinking he had a shot, Shikamaru tried to discretely use his shadow. Yamato saw it stretch across the floor, already expecting him to use that technique. Before Shikamaru could link his shadow to Yamato's he pressed the kunai into Akio's neck.

"Captain Yamato, don't!" Sakura screamed.

Yamato stabbed Akio in the throat like he was popping a balloon. The blade went straight through Akio's neck and out the other side.

Sakura cried out in horror and Shikamaru turned white.

Yamato smirked. "Now I just have to get you two and-"

POP!

Akio disappeared.

The ninja in the room were stunned. "Was that a..?"

"A clone?"

Yamato dropped the kunai. "How did..?"

"Looking for me?"

Yamato spun around and saw Akio standing behind him with a playful smirk on his face.

"Actually, I think he's looking for me."

Yamato looked behind him at a second Akio. He looked back and forth at the two, completely confused.

"What's wrong, Captain Yamato? You look confused."

"Seeing is believing, right? Can't you trust your own eyes?"

"I think he can't."

"That's a shame."

Yamato's head wiped back and forth as the doppelgangers spoke to each other. He grew annoyed. "It's just a couple of damn clones." He threw a punch at one of them, but the prince leaned back, missing.

"You're pretty unsteady, aren't you? Very clumsy."

Yamato tried another punch but he missed again.

"Want to try that again?"

"Actually, I think he's worn out. You don't look so good."

"Captain Yamato, you should rest. You're no match for us."

"He's right. Not in your state."

Ignoring them, Yamato made a grab for the other one. This prince snarled at him and flipped him over his back and onto the bed. When the prince turned around, three tails were poking out of his robes.

"That's Ryosuke!" cried Sakura with joy. "And that one must be Naruto!"

Yamato rolled off the bed and drew another weapon from his belt. Ryosuke, still disguised as the prince, stood before him. He held out both arms to either side as if he were keeping the walls from closing in on him. His tails started to wave and flicker.

"Fox fire."

The room started to darken and the walls began to twist. The ground shook and the floorboards rippled and waved like the ocean. Yamato wobbled, thrown off balance. The glass windows shattered and the shards came flying at his head. The wood splintered and rose. The room was falling apart and shifting into something else entirely. The temperature dropped to freezing and Yamato could see his own breath. The kunai in his hand transformed into a snake he could feel wriggling around in his grasp. He threw it away as quickly as he could. When he looked back at the fake prince, he had transformed into a giant monster with three heads and glowing eyes. He snapped at the air in front of him, Yamato feeling the heat front its breath. It roared at him and came closer. As it did, Yamato's wounds began to reopen. Fresh blood dripped onto the floor and was quickly swallowed up by the cracks forming wooden teeth. If the monster wasn't going to eat him, the floorboards would.

The monster grabbed Yamato around the middle and threw him into the yard. It started to stomp after him but Yamato was on his feet and running. He would come back another day. Now he had to leave. The monster chased him into town and off the land. Only when Yamato reached the safety of the forest did the beast leave him alone. It lingered there, watching him. Yamato kept running.

Back at the palace, Ryosuke ended the illusion and everything was back to the way it was before. The window to the bedroom was open so there was no broken glass to worry about. The blood Yamato saw was all fake. The floor was exactly as it was before. There was no damage to anyone or anything. Ryosuke shifted back into his normal fox form and turned to the others.

"It's over. He's gone so you can come out now."

The door to the wardrobe opened and out came the real Prince Akio. He stepped onto the carpet with a sigh of relief. "Thanks so much for that. I was worried something would happen..." He turned to Sakura and Shikamaru. "When I heard you scream, I wanted to come out and show you that I was alright but they told me to stay hidden until they told me."

Sakura turned to the other Akio with the whiskers on his face. "Naruto?"

"Yup!" He gave a foxy grin.

"You knew Yamato was here? How? What did you do?"

"Ryosuke and I found the prince going back to his room and we stopped him, saying that Captain Yamato was waiting to attack him. We worked out a plan together. I made a clone of Akio and sent him in his place. In the meantime, Ryosuke used his fox magic to help hide Akio without Captain Yamato noticing. It was also partly Akio's idea because he didn't want to call for help and put his servants in danger. I didn't want to attack Captain Yamato right away because I wasn't sure what his plan was. I didn't know you guys would be showing up either. Ryosuke and I thought we would handle this together to keep everyone safe. Plus I wasn't sure where you guys were or what you were doing. And since we weren't sure what Captain Yamato was doing, well you know."

"How did you know the prince was in danger?" Shikamaru asked.

"I noticed that Captain Yamato wasn't there when we went through the town and wondered where he was. Then Ryosuke sensed there was something wrong and went to check it out. I went with him to check up on you guys when I saw Captain Yamato use one of the passages to get inside. That's when Ryosuke and I went to warn the prince."

"If it weren't for them, I would have walked right into a trap," said Akio. "Once again I was saved by you two. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Naruto said with a smile. He changed back into his human form.

Now that Naruto looked like himself, Sakura was relieved. It wasn't just because he no longer looked like the prince so she knew what was going on. It was the fact that he didn't look like a fox. Seeing Naruto as his human self brought her comfort.

"Sakura, Shikamaru," said Naruto. "We have to leave the town. Captain Yamato was after you guys. When he captured my clone, he demanded to know where you guys were. He wasn't really after the prince. Just information. If we stay here too long, more will come. We should leave soon."

Happy to know that Naruto was on the same page as them, Sakura nodded her head. "We were just thinking the same thing. The sooner we leave the better."

"Once we finish packing everything, we'll go," said Shikamaru. He turned to the prince. "I want to thank you for all you've done. If we stay any longer, your life will be in danger and so will the lives of everyone here. We'll be leaving shortly."

"I understand," said Akio. "I couldn't ask you to stay to help defend us when you have your own mission to tend to. And after what I just witnessed, I know it's the truth. We will be in danger. I don't hold it against you. It isn't your fault. But thank you for your help last night and for your concern. Would you like me to see you off?"

While the humans discussed, Ryosuke started to move closer to the open window. Naruto saw him and started to follow. Ryosuke stopped him. "You must go with your friends," he told him.

"Of course I'll go with them. I was going to all along. I just wanted to-"

"I'll see you off." Ryosuke bowed his head slightly in farewell and jumped out the open window.

Naruto didn't know if he had left because he wasn't comfortable staying among humans for so long or because he had business to attend to. Ryosuke told him that he would see them off and Naruto believed that.

They quickly gathered up the food from the kitchen, made sure their water bottles were full and loaded up their bags. Naruto didn't carry a bag, nor did he want to. He felt it would only slow him down and with his transformations, it would be a pain to keep track of. Having eaten their fill and had everything packed, the ninja were ready to leave. Akio saw them to the front gate of his palace and bid them a safe journey.

They passed through the town quickly but Naruto took a sharp turn into the forest. The two followed after him. Naruto jumped over the stream to the other side and over to the mountain. He eased out of his run to a short walk and then stopped. He was staring at something near the mountain.

"What are you looking at?"

Naruto didn't answer. His eyes were focused on the grave he had dug for Seki's older brother. Actually, he was staring at the one beside it. A freshly dug grave had just been covered with dirt and had a wooden grave marker just like the one Naruto had made for the fox.

He knew whose grave this was.

Naruto approached the grave and knelt down. A horseshoe was placed carefully over the dirt as an additional marker. Jack lay under the dirt pile.

Just like in life, Jack was close to the kitsune.

Naruto sniffled. Jack was buried next to a fallen kitsune. Not on the farm and not by the side of the road. This was a place of honor. At the base of their home, a place they passed every night and a place they would always see him.

"You made it to the mountain, Jack." Naruto picked a flower from the grass and placed it on top of the horseshoe.

Sakura and Shikamaru observed in silence. They knew Naruto was saying goodbye to a dear friend. They lowered their heads respectfully and offered their prayers.

Naruto straightened up and turned to face the mountain itself. He stood perfectly still, waiting. He didn't make a single sound.

From the top f the mountain, something dropped straight down. Leaping from rock to rock, Ryosuke came from his perch and landed in front of them with incredible ease.

"Are you leaving?" he asked them.

They nodded.

"I wish you luck."

Sakura wasn't sure what to say to him other than, "Thank you."

Naruto shifted into his fox form to bid him farewell. "I still don't know where Seki could be but I hope he's doing alright."

"I trust Seki with my life," Ryosuke told him. "When he said he would go in my place to help you, I knew he was the right fox for the job. He wouldn't fail me and I had nothing to worry about. He can handle himself."

"I still wonder where he went..."

"When you need him, he'll be there. I know he will be."

Naruto nodded. It was the not knowing that bothered him most.

"I must remain here to help defend this land."

Naruto nodded again. "And I will be with my friends. They need me as much as I need them. And together, we'll free the rest of them."

Ryosuke nodded. "We'll all work together and help each other out."

Naruto nuzzled Ryosuke who nuzzled him back. They had to protect their homes. They each had a place they needed to be with things they had to do. Naruto knew he couldn't stay here and understood why Ryosuke couldn't leave this land. This was where they had to part.

Naruto stepped back and returned to human form. Sakura and Shikamaru stepped forward and bowed to Ryosuke.

"We'll be taking off. Thanks for helping, Ryosuke. Take care."

"You as well," he told them.

"And, uh..." Sakura looked at Ryosuke for a moment then lowered her head again. "Thank you for looking after Naruto and helping him."

"There is no need to thank me for that," said Ryosuke. "I would do anything for my friend."

Naruto smiled.

"We'll be going now," said Shikamaru. "See you."

"Shikamaru."

Hearing his name from Ryosuke made Shikamaru's heart skip a beat. He tried to avoid looking at Ryosuke when he spoke because he always felt like he was speaking to someone of great importance. When he looked upon Ryosuke's elegant form and felt the power radiating from his body, he felt ashamed of his own human self. It was a great honor to meet Ryosuke and a privilege to see all the kitsune living in the mountain. He sensed their power and knew he had to show them respect. Even if being near Ryosuke was intimidating, it was also calming. He felt safe with him. At the same time, he knew Ryosuke could easily defeat him because of the power he held. He knew Ryosuke was showing restraint, even when going against Yamato. If Ryosuke unleashed his full power, Shikamaru didn't want to be around to witness it.

"Shikamaru," Ryosuke addressed him. "I do not know what sort of curse that ninja is under. But his mind is not being controlled. That being said, it is possible that the mind can be tweaked. Much like you losing some of your intellect. But even when you had it taken away, it wasn't completely gone. Remember that."

He didn't fully understand why Ryosuke was telling him this, but he was grateful for the advice. He had an idea of what that meant but kitsune were mysterious. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

"Farewell." Ryosuke jumped straight up and landed on one of the rocks jetting out from the mountain. He climbed from one to the next until they could not longer see him. Naruto knew he was going to watched them from the top of the mountain.

"Alright, guys!" Naruto said loudly, pumping his fist into the air. "Let's get going!"

"Keep your voice down, Naruto."

"Why? Don't we want them to know we're leaving?"

"Don't encourage him, Shikamaru."

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24:**

They tried to put as much distance as they could between them and the mountain. They kept to the woods as much as possible and avoided people. So far their journey was uneventful. Whether that was a good thing was up for debate. If someone attacked, then they would know where the enemy was. However, they still had no idea how to stop Karada other than to defeat the kitsune who cursed him. Where the kitsune was remained a mystery.

The sun began to set and the journey ahead of them had no end in sight. Shikamaru feared they would be easier to attack at night, but at the same time the enemy would also be at a disadvantage since he, like other humans, had trouble seeing at night. Naruto could see in the dark so day and night had little effect on him. In that sense, maybe the enemy wouldn't attack at night, knowing they would be at a disadvantage in two different ways.

"So are we looking for the enemy or not?" Naruto asked.

"At this point, we're just trying to get as far away from people as possible," said Shikamaru. "We'll go from there."

Naruto looked around overhead. Spotting something, he went over to a nearby tree and hollered into the branches. "Excuse me! Hey, hi! Um, I was wondering, could you tell us if you've seen any foxes around here?"

Sakura looked into the tree. There was a single owl on one of the branches. "Is Naruto talking to that owl?"

"He can understand animals, can't he?"

Sakura looked at Naruto's fox ears. "Yeah, he can. It's still weird, though."

Naruto nodded up at the owl. "Ok, how about humans? See any of those? Yeah, I mean besides these two. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Ok, thanks a lot! Bye!"

Naruto came running back to his friends. "So, what's the story?"

"That owl said that she saw a couple of humans pass through here a little while ago. She said they all had headbands like the one I have."

"That means it's our friends. There are ninja nearby." Sakura smiled at Naruto. "Wow, Naruto. I guess being able to talk to animals comes in handy, huh?"

"We have to be careful." Shikamaru looked overhead at the trees. "We might be walking into a trap or they could drop down on us any second. Stay alert."

Naruto sniffed the air. "I'm not smelling anyone besides us."

"I don't know how much longer we can keep doing this," said Sakura. "Just us against all our friends? We're the only ones who give a damn. They don't. No matter how you look at it, this isn't a fair fight."

"I think that's what the enemy is betting on."

They moved cautiously through the trees. Naruto remained close to them, sniffing around for a different scent. He debated sending out illusions of them into the forest to distract any enemies but in order to maintain them he had to concentrate. If they were attacked from behind, Naruto would not see it coming. Casting illusions would only slow him down. If Neji was one of the enemy ninja, he would be able to see through the illusions anyway. If Naruto used clones, he wouldn't be able to sense danger like he could as a fox. He couldn't use any distractions for the time being. He had to wait. The safety of his friends came first. He couldn't do anything that would hinder his ability to do that.

Sakura spun around. "Something moved."

Shikamaru didn't look, thinking it was a distraction. If he turned his head, someone could get him from behind. He held his breathing, listening. A falling leaf, shoes scrapping against bark, anything.

Naruto sniffed again. He couldn't smell them. They must have been too far away or downwind of his nose. Since his nose couldn't warn him, he depended on his friends for help. His warning came from the owl he had asked earlier. She flew from her perch and soared away, calling down to him that a human was coming his way.

A human with many arms.

That description made no sense at first. Then Naruto realized the owl was mistaking the fabric tentacle for additional arms. Karada was heading their way.

"Karada's coming this way," Naruto warned them. "Stay close and don't get near him."

"No arguments there."

Naruto sensed danger coming and got ready to face off against Karada.

"Expansion Jutsu!"

Naruto was picked up by a giant hand and thrown away from his friends. When he looked back, he saw the same arm wrap around Shikamaru and Sakura. "Guys!"

Choji held them tightly in his grasp. "You're not going anywhere this time!" he taunted them as they struggled. Shikamaru begged Choji to come to his senses but he was beyond reason.

Then came the main event. Karada showed up, carried by his own cloth arms. "There you are," he greeted cheerfully. "I heard you were at the mountain. Imagine my surprise. Shame you had to leave so soon. Yamato told me you were there but left in a hurry. Fancy meeting you out in the middle of nowhere like this."

Naruto tried to attack Karada while his back was turned but his tentacle arm slammed him back down and pressed him into the dirt.

"Down, boy. I'll get to you in a second." Karada turned back to Shikamaru and Sakura. "I want to deal with them first."

They fought against Choji's grip, but their struggles were all in vain.

Shikamaru knew his friend better than anyone. He helped Choji with his jutsu from time to time when he needed to practice on someone. He knew Choji's weaknesses. Choji was a sensitive person at heart but that meant nothing under the jutsu. He had to use something else to stop Choji. These arms of his were real flesh and blood. As big as they were, they were still Choji's arms.

"Shadow Stitching!" Shikamaru couldn't manage much from his current position but it was better than nothing. He stabbed Choji's fingers with the sharp edge of his shadow. Choji cried out in pain and dropped them.

Shikamaru then turned on Karada. "Shadow Possession Jutsu!"

Karada froze in place.

"Got him."

Choji tried to attack Shikamaru from behind but Sakura defended him with a massive punch to the palm. "Cha!"

Choji's hand was broken but it would heal.

"Uh-oh!" Shikamaru's body was starting to shake. "He's... he's too strong!"

Karada's fabric waved in the air freely. One came straight at Shikamaru. If he was wrapped up in the cloth, it was all over. Shikamaru jumped back just in time but the jutsu was broken.

"Shame," said Karada. "If you were on my side, I could make good use of that jutsu of yours."

Shikamaru hid behind a tree. He wasn't sure how exactly Karada placed the jutsu on people, but most of the time, he grabbed a person in that cloth and told them to obey him. Shikamaru didn't see how Karada did it other times, but he doubted that Karada managed to grab every person from the village and place the jutsu on them using that method.

Sakura kept her distance as well. They couldn't fight Karada. It was too risky.

"Come on and join the rest of your friends."

Naruto got up from the ground and jumped on Karada's back. Or he would have if the cloth hadn't gotten in his way again. He tried to cut it with his claws but it wouldn't tear. Karada swung him around like a rag doll and threw him into a tree, like a bored child.

Naruto got up and jumped into the air, his fist clenched. He was going to punch him.

Karada faced Naruto, reaching for something under his shirt. He pulled out a purple necklace and held it up to Naruto.

It wasn't a weapon, but it was something Naruto had to avoid.

"A cursed object?!" Naruto pulled back to avoid hitting it.

"That's right," chuckled Karada. "The question is, which is it? Or should I say who?"

"That could be the Hokage!" gasped Sakura. "Or Hinata!"

"Who knows who it could be?" Karada said smugly. "It could even be someone new."

Naruto's eyes widened. It could have been Seki. Karada wasn't wearing a necklace the last time Naruto fought him. This was something new. He could have been carrying around Seki since no one had seen him for a while.

"That's just plain dirty," growled Sakura. "He's using one of our friends as a shield so we won't attack him. If anything happens to that necklace, the transformed person dies."

Karada laughed wickedly. "Still want to take your chances? Go on and fight me."

There was no way Naruto could strike and not risk hitting the necklace. Even the chain was a part of the person. A simple crack, a scratch could kill them. If the chain broke or if the jewel itself broke, it was all over. Karada was holding it out in front of him like a shield. That was a problem. If Karada let go, the necklace would be swinging around loosely and unpredictably. It was risky then, too.

"You son of a..!" Naruto snarled. Karada made sure Naruto couldn't strike.

"Pity, isn't it?" Karada's fabric slapped Naruto like a fly out of the air and pinned him down. The other cloth wrapped itself into a ball and started to hammer Naruto like a giant fist. Though it was made out of cloth, it was still inflicting damage. Naruto yelped in pain.

"Naruto!" Sakura started to rush in to help. She stopped abruptly when she saw another cloth face her direction and wave in a taunting manner. She couldn't help Naruto without becoming a victim.

Karada lifted Naruto off the ground and close to his face. "What are you going to do now? Hm? What else you got?"

Naruto opened his mouth but as soon as he did, he was slammed into the ground again.

"I'm sorry. What was that? Speak up."

Naruto spat blood.

"Oh, Naruto!" Sakura had to do something. How could she attack without getting close? There was one thing, but it would be risky for Naruto as well. It was worth the risk. She slammed her fist straight down into the ground. "Cha!"

The ground rumbled and quaked. Karada wobbled and looked at the shattering earth. His fabric reached for the branches above to escape but even they were swallowed up by the destruction. The trees were unearthed and fell left and right. Karada surrounded himself in a fabric cocoon and bounced among the crumbling earth.

Naruto jumped from one piece of earth to the next, avoiding falling into the massive hole Sakura created. He looked up to make sure she was ok. "Look out behind you!"

Choji was reaching for her with his good arm. Shikamaru stopped him with his shadow, protecting her.

The rumbling stopped and Karada emerged from the earth, unscathed. "Nice trick, but it's not enough." He grabbed Naruto with his cloth again and pulled him in close by his neck. "Want to give this another shot? I have time."

Naruto choked.

"Aw, too tight?" Karada slightly loosened his grip. "How's this?" He punched Naruto in the face with his human hand. "Better? How about this?" He punched him again. This time Karada shook his hand in the air, winching. "Ouch. You have a hard head."

Naruto took a swing at him, but he was just out of reach. Then he saw the necklace swinging from its long chain around Karada's neck and grew worried.

Karada grabbed Naruto by his hair and pulled. "You really annoy me, but you're pretty entertaining. Should I make you watch as I make your friends mine? I'll have them turn on you. Or maybe I'll just have the friends I've already collected slaughter them before your eyes. How's that? I'll make you watch."

Naruto shut his eyes tightly, grimacing.

"You like that idea, huh?"

"No..." Naruto whined.

"You like it, right, Naruto?"

Naruto grunted. "No... I..." He grunted again. "I didn't say you could... This fight is mine."

Karada had no idea what Naruto was saying. Then he felt heat running up his arm to his chest and spread throughout the rest of his body. It was like putting his hand on a heater. Something didn't feel right.

Then Karada sensed something. Something evil. He looked up and saw the Nine-Tailed Fox. His mouth fell open in a silent scream, his eyes wide with terror.

The fox was massive. Karada's entire body could fit in its mouth. He could be swallowed whole! Its teeth alone were almost the size of him.

The eyes of the fox were upon him. It grinned hungrily at Karada.

"I told you to calm the hell down, Kurama!" Naruto snapped. "I've got this!"

"Do you, Naruto?" he asked. "I could finish this in just one snap. Just... one... snap!"

Karada's body went into convulsions. He was shaking with terror.

"I can't believe this punk is giving you such a hard time, you weakling. Leave this to me."

"I told you no!"

"I'll show you how easy it is." The fox loomed over Naruto to get to Karada. He opened his mouth wide.

"Ahh!" Karada screamed at the top of his lungs. He had never felt anything like this. He had never seen anything so big before. So horrifying, so powerful, monstrously evil. This thing was going to kill him. Eat him in open bite. All the color drained from his face.

His scream ended abruptly. Suddenly, Karada gave a tiny whimper and his eyes rolled back. He slumped to the ground like a robot unplugged. Even the fabric loosened enough for Naruto to free himself.

Naruto shook himself free and looked down at Karada. "Guess he saw the Nine-Tails and fainted." There were rare times when that happened. A connection of chakra in the heat of battle, when the fox felt the need to interfere. It only seemed to happen with ninja possessing the Sharingan. Karada didn't possess that power so Naruto wasn't sure why he would be able to see the fox. There must have been another explanation for it.

Vulnerable, Naruto could do whatever he wanted with Karada. He reached down to take the necklace from him.

Suddenly, Karada was pulled away by another ninja.

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. He was both happy to see a familiar face as well worried. "Sai..."

Sai slung Karada over his shoulder, giving Naruto a warning look. He would fight Naruto if given a reason.

More ninja showed up to assist. They stood on either side of Sai, protecting Karada. After a moment of staring, they fled with Karada. Choji followed them, leaving Shikamaru and Sakura behind.

Naruto started to bend his knees then stopped. He watched them leave then returned to his friends. "Are you two ok?" he asked them.

"We're fine."

"Why didn't you go after them?" asked Sakura. "With Karada immobile, he would be easy to restrain. We could follow them and see where they go."

Naruto shook his head. "I thought about it, but I decided it would be better to let them go. If I go, I'll be leaving you behind since it's too dangerous for you guys to get close to Karada. Even if you did come, we would all be outnumbered. Aside from that, I really don't want to fight all our friends when they're out for blood. It's not a fair fight."

"Naruto has a point. Though tracking them would be a good idea, it's also risky. We still have to focus on finding the one remaining fox. Once he's defeated, we can go back to worrying about the rest of them."

"We still don't know where he is, though," said Sakura.

Shikamaru frowned. "I'm worried."

"That we won't be able to find him?"

"No. About our friends retreating so quickly." Shikamaru had been thinking about it for a while. "It seems that every time we battle them, they leave as soon as there's trouble. I thought it was because they knew they didn't stand a chance against Naruto or the other kitsune. Then I was thinking it was a distraction. I think they're trying to get Naruto worked up. Yamato said that he wanted Naruto to kill us in the state he was in before. Getting Naruto worked up seems to be a part of their plan. Poke the bear then run away. Still, it doesn't make sense to me. They're so quick to run away."

"This time they had a reason," said Sakura. "Karada was hurt and they needed to take care of him. That's why they ran off. And the other times they weren't trying to kill us or Naruto. It's like you said; they were trying to get him worked up. They must want Naruto to do the work for them."

"It still doesn't make sense." Shikamaru wasn't satisfied with that answer. "It only took one ninja to carry Karada away. Others showed up, but only as a cover in case we tried to follow and attack. But Karada took over the whole village. He has more ninja than are showing up. Where are they?"

"Maybe they're at the mountain. Or spread out over the land so we'll run into them."

"I'm not sure..." Shikamaru couldn't figure out their plan. It didn't make logical sense to him. A battle was better planned out than this. Their goal was the mountain but there were all these side attacks going on. There was nothing to gain from it other than to torment those involved. It was just senseless attacking. "By the way, Naruto, what happened to Karada to make him faint like that? I didn't see anything, but something scared him good."

"Oh, that." Naruto wasn't sure how to answer. "Um, well, I think he saw the Nine-Tailed Fox inside me."

"What do you mean he saw it?"

"I don't know. He just... I don't know. But I think he saw it. He looked like he did. The fox was getting worked up and wanted to help fight but I told him no. And Karada just..." Naruto knew it made no sense. "He looked like he saw it but I don't know what he was seeing exactly. I don't know how. Sasuke managed to see him before but he had the Sharingan. Karada doesn't so I don't know how he managed to see it."

"You don't think it has something to do with your curse, do you?" Sakura asked, worried.

"No, it has nothing to do with the seal. I told you that before."

"I'm not talking about the seal. I mean, could the curse you're under somehow make it easier for the fox to be seen when you're fighting someone? Or give you an ability or... I don't know. I'm just wondering if the curse makes such a thing possible."

Naruto shrugged. He hadn't given it much thought. Honestly, he didn't care. He was confident that the fox wouldn't take over or leave his body. The seal was intact and that wasn't about to change.

"We don't know much about the details of your curse. Maybe you can ask Seki-" Sakura covered her mouth.

The necklace was a cursed object. Karada didn't have it before. Seki had been missing for a while. The necklace showed up after he was gone. It could have been him.

"I- I mean... We don't know for sure if it is. It could be... It might be the Hokage... Or someone else. Like Hinata. Or..."

"It's fine," said Naruto. The possibility of the necklace being Seki had crossed his mind but he didn't let it get to him. There was no way of knowing such a thing.

"There is actually some good news with that object," said Shikamaru. "Karada didn't have it before. Which means it's new. Not in that it's a new object but that it's new for Karada to have it. Karada can't use curses, which means he must have been in contact with the fox recently. That's means the kitsune is in the area."

"That narrows it down, but who knows where the fox is now?" said Sakura. "Remember, we haven't seen Karada in a couple of days. He could have gotten that object a while ago and the fox ran off since then."

"We have nothing to go on to begin with," pointed out Shikamaru. "I'm grasping at straws here."

"I know that but-"

Naruto's fox ears pinned back and he started growling.

"What's the matter, Naruto? Is it an enemy?"

"What's wrong?"

Naruto wasn't using words. He kept growling.

"Say something!" Sakura demanded.

Naruto ran forward, pushing her out of his way.

"Naruto?"

Ignoring her, he ran straight to a tree and slashed a piece of paper stuck to the trunk with his claws. It was a paper bomb, just beginning to sizzle. If he hadn't noticed it, they would have been caught up in an explosion.

"That was where Choji and us were fighting," said Sakura. "He must have put it there."

"We have to get out of here. Who knows how many more are around here?"

Naruto continued to growl.

"More?! You found more?"

Naruto ran on all fours into the trees. Sakura and Shikamaru waited for him to come back, hoping they wouldn't smell smoke in the next few seconds. They heard Naruto growling in the distance. The next thing they heard was grunting. Rustling. Two voices. Naruto was fighting someone.

Sakura and Shikamaru reached for their weapons.

"Rah!" Naruto threw the ninja over a shrub and onto the ground. Shino landed on his back and Naruto pounced on top of him. Shino raised his leg, catching Naruto in the stomach before he could land on him completely. He bent his knees then straightened it out, shoving Naruto away from him. Shino tried to get up but Naruto came back and grabbed the hem of his coat. "Rah! Grr! Rah!"

"Get off!" Shino pushed Naruto away from him. Naruto held fast to his coat and wouldn't let him go. "Get!" Shino kicked Naruto in the chest.

Snarling, Naruto chased after Shino on all fours and tackled him from behind. They rolled over each other. Shino pushed Naruto with both arms and Naruto dug his claws into Shino's jacket. Shino's insects swarmed around him but Naruto wouldn't let go. He tore off a piece of Shino's coat and swatted at the bugs with it. Shino kicked Naruto off and got to his feet. Naruto rolled to his feet and pinned his ears back, hissing. He was still in human form but he looked more animal than human at this point.

Shino directed his bugs to Naruto. He weaved around the swarm and went straight for Shino. Shino threw a punch at him, but Naruto caught his fist and tied the torn piece of his coat around his wrist. He pulled, forcing Shino's arm to the side. Shino went with the movement to keep his arm from breaking. He spun around and tried to throw another punch with his other arm. Naruto pulled Shino's arm down and stepped behind him. Shino's arm was now behind his back. Shino stepped to get it back to the front, but Naruto kept moving to the side, forcing the two of them to walk in a circle. Shino threw his head back, slamming it into Naruto's jaw.

"Ow!"

Shino stomped on his foot and pulled himself around so he was facing Naruto. He tugged his arm back, pulling Naruto in close and kneed him in the gut. Naruto quickly wrapped the rest of the torn coat around Shino's knee before he could put it down and tied it off with a knot. Shino hopped on one foot, his wrist now tied to his knee. He quickly cut it with his kunai, freeing himself.

Naruto's tail appeared and wagged in the air, stirring up tiny flames. Knowing Naruto was going to use fox magic, Shino tried to escape. Naruto grabbed his hood and pulled him back. Shino jerked, trying to get free. At last, he twisted the right way, causing the hood to wind around Naruto's fingers, pinching them. Naruto grunted in pain but wouldn't let him go. Shino leaned toward Naruto and ran his elbow into Naruto's gut. From there, he grabbed Naruto's wrist and flipped him over onto his back. Naruto grabbed his ankle before he could run off.

"Why doesn't Naruto want him to leave?" Sakura wondered aloud.

Shino took the kunai in his hand and brought it straight down into Naruto's shoulder. Naruto yelped loudly but wouldn't let him go. Even when Shino twisted the knife, Naruto wouldn't let him go.

"Naruto!"

"Stay back!" Naruto warned them. This was the first time he spoke in the past few minutes. Up until now, he only growled and made other animal noises.

He pulled Shino's leg out from under him and dragged him down. The kunai slipped out of his shoulder but Shino still had a hold on it. Naruto climbed on top of Shino and pinned him down.

"Enough, Shino! Stop it! I'm not going to let you hurt my friends! Forget what Karada told you! Just stop!"

Shino stabbed Naruto's leg with the kunai. This time, Naruto only flinched and didn't cry out. Shino pulled out the knife and stuck him again.

"I said stop!" Naruto bellowed. He opened his mouth wide and sank his teeth into Shino's arm. At this angle, Shino couldn't stab Naruto again but neither could Naruto attack him.

Shino rolled to the side, taking Naruto with him. He sat on top of Naruto and leaned into his mouth, forcing Naruto's head back. He switched hands, moving to kunai to his left. He held it high over Naruto's head. "I will kill you and then the other two. I will not let you live."

Sakura gasped. That was why Naruto wasn't letting Shino go. He wasn't going to leave because he intended to kill them. If they lost sight of him, thinking he was in retreat, he was going to come back from another direction and attack when their backs were turned. There was also the danger of Shino being a spy. He was collecting in formation from his hiding place. If they let him go, he would report whatever he found or he would stay and listen to their plan. That was why Naruto couldn't let him leave.

Naruto raised his hand, pushing against Shino's elbow. The kunai was coming closer and closer to him. Shino pressed in and Naruto pushed back. The tip was so close to Naruto's chest.

Unable to stand back for another second, Sakura charged in to help. There was no danger fighting Shino unlike fighting Karada. She took a flying leap and kicked the kunai from Shino's hand. Naruto dug his claws into Shino's arm, drawing blood. Shino cried out but he didn't weaken. Now he was trying to strangle Naruto.

Shikamaru came closer to help. He grabbed Shino from behind and pulled. Sakura helped. They were going to pry the two of them apart. Attacking any other way would put both Shino and Naruto in danger. This close, hand to hand combat was the best option.

Shino fell back and rolled off Naruto. He rolled to his feet and wrapped his hands around Shikamaru. He drew another kunai and stabbed him in the side just under his vest. Shikamaru's knees buckled from the pain. When Shikamaru fell to one knee, Shino raised the kunai above his head to finish him off. Naruto took a flying leap into the air and bit down on Shino's wrist, stopping him. Sakura grabbed Shino's other hand and pinned it behind his back. They had Shino pinned.

Shino was still struggling but he wasn't trying to escape anymore.

With Shino's wrist still in his mouth, Naruto clawed at Shino's coat with his hands. He ripped off Shino's hood and scratched at his sleeves.

Shikamaru squinted through the pain, watching this. Shino wasn't trying to get away anymore. Naruto wouldn't let Shino leave and now he kept scratching at his coat. Shikamaru's mind came to a horrifying conclusion. Eyes wide, Shikamaru helped Naruto rip off Shino's coat.

It was just as he feared. The lining of his coat were made up of paper bombs. They were already starting to sizzle.

"I'll take you all along with me if I have to!" Shino yelled.

"That's why Naruto wouldn't let him leave!" Shikamaru cried out. "He had to get rid of the bombs!"

"Bombs?!" Sakura gasped.

"Rah!" Kicking Shino in the chest, Naruto removed his teeth and tore off Shino's coat with both hands. He gathered it up and ran with it far from the others.

"Naruto, don't!" Sakura screamed.

"Don't follow me!" Naruto called back. He had to keep them safe. He couldn't destroy all the bombs before they went off. He had to get it away from them.

Naruto ran into the woods and beyond the trees to a small natural pond. There were no animals here and no fish swimming. This was the best place. Naruto threw the jacket onto the water and turned his back as the bombs detonated. The explosion was muffled by the water but it still made his ears ring for a moment. Naruto was drenched in the water raining down from the pond which was now nothing more than a hole in the ground with tiny puddles here and there. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. They were safe. He managed to save them in time.

He ran back on all fours to make sure Shino was still restrained. He hoped he didn't have anymore paper bombs.

When he returned, his friends were still holding him down but now Shino was struggling again. His bugs swarmed around the two ninja, making them turn their heads away and shut their eyes. The bugs buzzed and crawled in Sakura's ear, making her lose her grip on Shino to swat them away. Shino kicked her away and went after Shikamaru.

"No!" Naruto raced over as fast as he could.

Shikamaru used his shadow as a shield to protect his back from Shino's kunai. He moved away as quickly as he could and used another jutsu to hold Shino in place. Shino couldn't move but his bugs were still mobile and swarmed Shikamaru. It was difficult to maintain the jutsu like this.

Thinking fast, Naruto shifted back into his full human form and put his plan into action. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Multiple shadow clones appeared and surrounded Shino and his bugs. The real Naruto pulled Shikamaru away and grabbed Sakura. He quickly told them to stay with him no matter what happened and to run when he said. Then he used another jutsu.

Shino defeated the clones and looked around. There were several teams, all made up of Shikamaru, Sakura and Naruto. Most of these teams were fakes but among them was the real group. He had to find them. If he planted a bug on each group, even if they were fake, he would know where they were going and be able to track them down. One of them had to be the real team.

Each team split up and ran into the woods, all in different directions. Shino had no time to waste. He had to track them down and stop them. He sent out his bugs and ran into the woods, selecting his own group to follow.

In the meantime, the real group had gotten a head start when the clones were unleashed. Shino would be chasing his own tail for a while. Not wanting to stay too long in one area for fear he would catch up to them, the group pressed on.

"Can you believe that?" said Sakura. "Shino was actually willing to sacrifice himself just to stop us."

"Shino would never do that if he were in his right mind. He's more rational than that." Shikamaru sighed heavily. "Shino would never have done such a thing if Karada hadn't ordered him to do so. That jutsu is something else. But that was a smart idea with the clones, Naruto. Using illusions might not have worked. You have to concentrate so you won't be able to leave the area and we're not sure if Shino's bugs can detect an illusion or not."

"All Naruto has to do is maintain human form for a while and we're in the clear."

"Don't worry, guys. I got this." Naruto paused. "So now what?"

Shikamaru scratched his head. "I guess we keep going. We have to put as much distance between us and Shino as possible."

"Yeah. It seemed he wasn't going to stop. Even if we defeated him, then what? Tie him to a tree? We can't just leave him and we can't take him with us."

"Just be thankful we didn't have to figure that out. Let's keep going."

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25:**

Naruto managed to remain in human form for over an hour before he sneezed and his fox ears popped out. By that time, the group had wandered so far into the woods that it no longer mattered. They still had no clue where to look for the remaining kitsune, but once they found it, they believed things would return to normal.

Naruto's ears perked up. He stood perfectly still.

"What's the matter? Another enemy?"

"No." Naruto turned his head. "My clones are all gone."

"Yeah," said Sakura. "Since you're part fox again, all your clones should have disappeared."

"I know that. But when my clones go away, I still know what they've experienced. Even without being there myself." Naruto shifted into his fox form. "Follow me! Quick!"

Unsure of what to do, Shikamaru and Sakura followed Naruto deeper into the woods. They wondered if one of Naruto's clones had spotted something dangerous or important. One of them could have come across the kitsune. Or they could have discovered Karada's current location and therefore know to avoid it.

Naruto ran faster and faster, leaping over shrubs and fallen branches. He swerved around a crooked tree and made a hard right. Breathing hard, Naruto stopped where he stood and looked around. Taking a deep breath, he gave a short howl into the trees. "Narutoooo!"

His call was answered.

With a joyous leap, Naruto dove into the trees and ran. A fox emerged from behind a trunk and locked eyes with him. Naruto tackled him in a massive hug and they rolled over each other, laughing.

"Seki!" Naruto looked back. "Guys! Guys, look! It's Seki! He's ok!"

"Of course I'm ok. What did you think happened?"

"We were worried you got yourself cursed," said Sakura. "An enemy was wearing a cursed object around his neck he didn't have before and since we haven't seen you in a while, we thought it was you."

"As you can see, it's not. I'm fine." Seki looked at Naruto. "So you've run into that human, too. I discovered him in the forest and got a bad vibe from him. I knew to avoid him so I've been trying to keep my distance. Your village is overrun, Naruto. Most of the humans have been taken by him."

"I know. We were there and saw what happened." Naruto remembered how the village looked when they looked at the private files. It was like a ghost town. "Karada, that human, has turned our friends against us. We've been fighting them since he's used a ninja ability on them."

"I had warned Kakashi that something bad might happen to the village while you were gone looking for Mikale. Kakashi told me to assist you so I left. But he seemed to take my warning seriously."

"Is Kakashi-sensei ok?" Naruto asked. "I haven't seen him in a while so I don't know if the jutsu got him or not."

"I haven't seen or heard from him since that night. I can only hope he got away in time."

It was possible that Kakashi escaped Karada's jutsu when he attacked the village. Naruto could only hope. Since no one had seen him in a long time, no one could say for certain.

Naruto was starting to feel guilty again. "If you hadn't left the village to come help us... maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"We told you before, Naruto," said Sakura. "Kakashi-sensei didn't doubt your abilities. He knew that no one could do it alone. Seki wasn't needed at the village then. If Seki didn't show up we might never have defeated Mikale. And besides, everything was fine at the village for a little while after his defeat. It's no one's fault."

"Yeah, I know that." Naruto, though it was slight, still felt a twinge of guilt.

He knew it wasn't his fault. He knew Kakashi didn't doubt his ability. The village wasn't attacked while they were gone. It happened while they were around. Karada showed up while Naruto was still at the village. Seki had run off in another direction after Mikale's defeat.

"Oh, yeah." Naruto turned to Seki. "Where did you run off so quickly after we defeated Mikale? You took off in such a hurry and didn't say why."

"Oh. I was checking on something."

"Like what? Were you looking for the other fox?"

"Partly, yes. I was also sensing something else I couldn't figure out. I think it was Karada. I wasn't sure at the time. I just knew something was going on in the forest and had to check it out. I've been searching for the remaining kitsune ever since. I haven't found him anywhere. I'm still searching. There's no sign of him anywhere."

"If you want, you can search with us," suggested Sakura. "We need as many allies as we can get since everyone else is against us because of the jutsu."

Seki gave it some thought. "I suppose I could join you for a while. Since we're both searching for the same thing."

"Karada's justu is strong," said Naruto. "We just ran into another friend of ours and he tried to take himself out with the rest of us. Normally he wouldn't do that sort of thing. I might be immune to the jutsu being a kitsune but Sakura and Shikamaru could still be effected by it. I have to make sure they're save. Even if that means making them hold back. Going near Karada is too risky. They're all I have left of my village."

Just them. Now that they were the only ones left, they had become even more precious to him. They might have been ninja, but Naruto felt the need to protect them.

"But we are ninja, Naruto," said Sakura. "You don't have to do this on your own. We can help you."

"Not with Karada around," he said firmly. "If he uses that jutsu on you it's all over. I can't risk that."

"But you taking everyone on by yourself is just... I can't stand around and watch. We can help you fight."

"If Karada shows up-"

"It doesn't matter if we're the only ones left who can help you if you don't let us help."

"Wait," Shikamaru said suddenly. "I have an idea. It's risky but we may have to do something desperate if we have any hope of helping Naruto without being at risk."

"What are you thinking?"

Shikamaru ignored them and knelt down in front of Seki. "Can you turn us into kitsune, too?"

"What?!" Sakura gasped.

Naruto's face lit up with joy. The strategic advances didn't occur to him. He was just thrilled at the thought of having more kitsune friends with him. He was excited that his friends would see what it was like to be a kitsune with him. They would have so much fun.

"Are you serious?" Sakura squealed. "But- but Shikamaru..!"

"Seki can use his curse ability to turn us both into kitsune. Kitsune are immune to most jutsu. Karada's jutsu won't have an effect on us after that. We'll be able to help Naruto and he won't have to worry about us so much."

"That might be true..." Sakura was worried. "But Naruto's already been a kitsune once and he was trained by kitsune. He already knows how to use fox magic. We'll have to start from square one. Do we have time for that? Not to mention the side effects. Naruto changes back and forth. When that happens he uses his jutsu. The same thing could happen to us."

"I've thought about that. Still, I think this would benefit us. At least a little bit in battle." Shikamaru looked at Seki. "What do you think? Are you willing to give it a try?"

"Uh..." Seki wasn't prepared to be asked such a question. "Well, I could give it a try. But the thing you have to understand is that I'm still new to this. Before I cursed Naruto, I practiced a little to make sure I didn't screw it up. Most of the time, curse infliction is random. I can turn you into a lamp, but the size and color are random. It's not exact. With Naruto it was easy since he was a kitsune before. But even this curse is different from the one he was under before. Your curse might be different a well. You might not be able to change back and forth like he can."

"As long as we're kitsune, the jutsu won't effect us. That's all that matters."

"Shikamaru, are you sure you've thought this through?"

"I'm taking a huge chance here. Would you rather be protect by Naruto all the time because of Karada's jutsu? Naruto can't fight the way he normally can because he has to worry about us. This will be a load off. And we won't have to worry about ourselves either. We have a chance like this. Not just against Karada, but all our friends since their jutsu won't effect us either. It will even the odds. At this point we need all the help we can get."

"Yes, but..." Sakura was starting to think he was right. Maybe receiving the curse was a good thing.

"Naruto can teach us things and so can Seki now that he'll be with us. It might be worth the risk."

Sakura nervously sat next to Shikamaru. "Ok, I guess. But it can be undone, right?"

"It's easier to remove the curse than place it," said Seki.

Sakura took a deep breath. "Well... I guess... Ok. If you think it's a good idea."

Shikamaru held out his hand to Seki. "Ok. Turn me into a kitsune."

Seki lifted his paw. "Are you sure?" he asked, looking into Shikamaru's eyes.

"Yes." Shikamaru was very tense but he didn't move away.

"Alright." Seki lifted his paw up and over to Shikamaru's hand.

Everyone watched tensely, waiting.

Just as Seki's paw was about to touch his hand, Shikamaru pulled it away. "Wait."

"What?" Naruto asked. "I thought you were sure."

"There are risks with this. Ups and downs. But I neglected a major issue," said Shikamaru. "Seki telling us that parts of the curse are beyond his control made me think of something. What if he turns us into real foxes and not kitsune? There is that possibility. Also, even if he does turn us into kitsune, we might have another problem."

"You mean about changing back into humans?" Naruto asked.

"No. The same problem we've seen in you. Sometimes your instincts can take over. It might not be worth the risk if we can't control ourselves. What if we're in the middle of a fight and suddenly run after a rabbit or something? Or what if we sense danger and run rather than fight? Or what if we fight and get carried away? We don't want to kill anyone. These are our friends we're talking about. It's not their fault. What if we attack and kill them?"

Naruto hadn't thought of that. He thought he was keeping his instincts under control but there were times when they did flare up a bit. He could handle it, but he had been a kitsune before. Shikamaru and Sakura hadn't. It was possible that they wouldn't be able to control themselves. A curse was a curse after all. Something bad could happen to them.

"I was thinking so much on how we could combat Karada that I hadn't thought of the downsides. I knew there would be risks and downsides but I hadn't considered how bad they could be. I figured we could work through them but some aren't worth it." Shikamaru made his decision. "Sorry, Seki. But we're not going to do the curse."

Seki didn't look the least bit upset. "It's your call. I'm fine with that." Even he wasn't too sure about using the curse on them. Who knew what could happen?

After that, the group continued to walk through the forest, sharing what had happened to them on their adventures. Shikamaru once again vented how he couldn't understand the enemy's plans. To him, it seemed they were making it up as they went along. He wondered why the attack on the mountain had ended so quickly.

"It doesn't make sense. If he took over the whole village, why did he only send in a few dozen ninja? There should have been more."

"I thought it was because they were testing it out," said Sakura. "And tried to flush us out. You said so, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I'm still confused." Shikamaru tried to figure it out. "We've established that. But even when we were at the village, there were very few ninja there. That was different from before. When I was a spy, we mostly stayed together in a large group. Now that I've split away, I don't know what they're doing. Maybe I should have stayed longer."

"Maybe they're spread out," said Sakura. "They're trying to find us, right? So they might be spread out over a distance looking for us. Isn't that part of the plan? To leave Naruto with as few friends as possible? That's why they were attacking the Leaf in the first place. Because Naruto's friends with the mountain kitsune. Any friends of a friend is going to be in danger. And even you said they might be gearing up for an even bigger attack. They're going to need more ninja and more power if they want that mountain."

Something clicked in Shikamaru's brain. "Oh, no." Shikamaru stopped walking. "I think I know why there were very few ninja around. They were split up but not to find us. To attack elsewhere. Any friend is going to be in danger, along with anyone with power."

"So where are they?"

Shikamaru looked Naruto in the eye. "The Sand Village. I think they're going-"

"They're going after Gaara!" Naruto gasped.

"He is powerful enough. And he is a friend of yours and an ally of the Leaf."

"The Sand?" Seki asked, confused. "I assume that's another ninja village? I saw some ninja heading toward the desert. Since it wasn't near us, I didn't pay them any mind."

"The Sand's in the desert! We have to go there now!" Naruto started running into the woods. "Come on, guys! We have to go there quick!"

"If you want to go to the Sand then turn to your right!" Sakura yelled after him. "It's this way!"

"I knew that!"

* * *

Thankfully, they weren't too far from the desert. The group moved as quickly as they could across the sand, braving the strong desert winds and spitting out sand. Naruto ran as quickly as he could but his paws kept sinking in the sand, forcing him to pull them out with every step. His four legs were tired and his hips and shoulders were starting to ache. Even Seki was having a difficult time. Used to rocks and grass, sand was very different to run in.

The Sand Village was in view. As they came closer, Naruto noticed that there weren't any guards on the sand walls as usual. "That's not a good sign."

"Slow down and be careful," Shikamaru told them. "We have to sneak in. Consider this enemy territory. We don't know what we'll find. Stay alert and follow me."

* * *

The hottest part of the day was over. Now that the sun was setting, the Sand felt a lot cooler. The office walls of the Kazekage were colored a pale orange and the shadows of the desk and shelves stretched out over the floor. Gaara set his pen down, finally finished with the last bit of paperwork. He massaged his wrist, his thumb cramping from all the writing he had been doing that day. He reached for his empty teacup, disappointed. He needed a drink.

Someone knocked on his door and entered. "Hey, Gaara," said Kankuro. "What's up?"

"I've just finished today's work. Hopefully there's less on my plate tomorrow." Gaara held up his empty cup. "Could you bring me some more tea?"

"Sure, sure." Kankuro took the cup from his younger brother.

Gaara looked out the window at the setting sun. "It's been quiet today."

"Other days have been quiet," remarked Kankuro. "Why bring attention to this one?"

Gaara frowned. "Because I've had an uneasy feeling for part of the afternoon. I'm not sure why. Nothing's happened, right?"

"If there was anything going on, you would be the first to know." Kankuro handed Gaara his cup back, full of fresh tea. "There you go."

"Thanks." Gaara put the cup to his lips and paused. He looked at the contents. His tea was normally a pale green color. This was darker. It had a faint smell to it as well. It smelled like burnt leaves. "Kankuro. What is this?"

"Sorry," Kankuro chuckled lightly. "I might have used the old water to make that tea. Must have burned the tea leaves a bit. My bad."

Gaara looked at the cup and then at his brother. Something wasn't right. "You burned the tea leaves?"

"Must have. Sorry about that."

Gaara frowned, suspicious. "Then why not make me another cup?"

"This one's perfectly fine," said Kankuro.

"It is, is it?" Gaara handed him the cup. "Then why don't you drink it?"

"Oh, I couldn't." Kankuro refused the cup offered to him. "It's yours."

Gaara narrowed his eyes. Without taking his eyes off his older brother, Gaara poured the tea into the cactus on his windowsill. Kankuro frowned, watching Gaara's tea water the plant. He swallowed.

"What did you put in my cup?" Gaara demanded calmly.

Kankuro chuckled again. "Ah, you caught me. Sorry, sorry. Just a prank. Just to lighten the mood, you know? You've had a long day. I just figured... Ah, never mind. My bad. Guess you're not in a laughing mood."

Gaara reluctantly turned away from him to look out the window. The tea looked and smelled strange. It did smell like burnt leaves but Gaara knew that wasn't it. People have tried to kill him in the past so it was easy for him to detect poison when he smelled it. Kankuro used poison so it was easy for him to access it. That being said, Gaara couldn't believe that his own brother would try to kill him. Not now. Things were better between them and everyone in the village. Kankuro cared about him. He was one of the people who organized a rescue team to find him when he went missing. He even got poisoned trying to rescue Gaara himself. There was no way Kankuro would try to kill him.

Seeing Kankuro's reflection in the clean glass, Gaara quickly stepped to the side as Krow struck the window where Gaara had been standing. He spun around to look at his brother. "Sorry," said Kankuro. "I didn't mean to miss you."

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Kankuro smiled. "Just... wanted to put on a little puppet show for my favorite little brother. Now hold still!" Kankuro sent his puppet after Gaara again. "Let's play, Gaara!"

Gaara jumped aside, taken completely by surprise. He couldn't understand why Kankuro was trying to attack him. Gaara drew sand from the gourd beside his desk and used it to block Krow's sharp limps. Another puppet appeared behind Gaara, one he wasn't expecting. Gaara fell inside its chest and the wood began to close in around him.

"It's iron maiden time!" Kankuro announced and tried to dice his brother.

Gaara clogged the puppet with his sand. He plugged up the mechanisms and used the rest to force his way out. He crawled out of the puppet and into Kankuro's grasp. He grabbed Gaara by the front and threw him into the window, shattering more glass. Gaara nearly fell out but the sand was there to cradle him.

"Kankuro, why are you doing this?"

His brother drew Krow closer to his body. "Because I was ordered to." He sent Krow forward.

Gaara covered himself with sand and willingly fell out the window. He crashed into the ground but the sand cushioned his fall. He stood up and looked around. Kankuro looked down then ducked back inside, possibly using the stairs rather than jump out from that ledge. "I don't understand..."

"Lord Kazekage!" More ninja were showing up. "Lord Kazekage, what happened?"

"Kankuro just tried to kill me. But I suspect something may be wrong with him. We must do something."

"You're absolutely right, Lord Gaara. Something must be done... since Kankuro failed."

Gaara quickly spun around and blocked a kunai aimed at his head. "What are you..?"

"Orders are orders, Lord Gaara. Don't make this anymore painful than it has to be."

Gaara blocked one strike after another. He backed away as more ninja showed up to assist in his demise. They were all trying to kill him. A powerful gust of wind nearly blew him off his feet.

"You're all useless!" yelled his sister. "I'll do it."

"Temari..!"

"See if you can block my Wind Scythe Jutsu!"

Gaara hopped on his sand and fled the area as his sister took aim. He rode his sand over the many streets of his village, avoiding weapons and ninja coming at him from all sides. Some even climbed onto his sand, trying to pull him down. The sand moved under their grasp, making it impossible for them to hold on. The sand dropped them on rooftops. Gaara didn't want to hurt them. As much as this reminded him of the past, he wasn't the same as he was back then. He was changed.

"Get him! Bring him down!"

Gaara avoided them when he could, blocked when they came close and engaged when he had to. He pushed and shoved them away from him, but he was quickly running out of sand. He was spreading it too thin. Luckily there was sand all around him he could use.

"Gotcha!"

"Ah!" Gaara felt someone grab him from behind and roll to one side, taking him down with him. Both slammed into the ground from above. Gaara cushioned them both so the impact caused neither of them damage. The ninja drew a kunai and tried to stab Gaara. Again, he blocked with his sand. "Leave me alone! Why are you doing this?"

The man kept attacking. Gaara kept blocking. The ninja threw paper bombs at Gaara's sand and as many weapons as he could aim. Knowing he had to stop him, Gaara wove the sand around him and hoisted him off the ground in his trademark Sand Coffin. Gaara had the urge to finish the job but he couldn't. Rather than crush him, Gaara threw him down the street and fled on foot.

"I don't want to hurt them. I can't." He was different now. He wanted to protect. He was no longer a monster. Now he was loved. He was a protector. He couldn't kill the very people he swore to protect. Not his siblings, not his villagers, none of them.

Yet they wanted to kill him. What had changed? What happened to them? Everything was fine before. What happened while he was hunched over paperwork all day?

More ninja were chasing him. Gaara continued to run, using his sand to block rather than fly. If they were going to jump on him from the sky, there was little point in using it to ride away. If they fell from that height, they would sustain terrible injuries. He didn't want that. These people weren't his enemy. Even though they were acting like it.

"Leave me alone!" Gaara screamed at them. He didn't understand what was happening. This was like a nightmare. "Stop it! Stop! I don't want to hurt you!"

They threw more weapons at him. Jutsu came next. Gaara covered his back with a giant sand wall and kept running, the sand following him with every step. He jumped on a small sand board he conjured up and rode it low to the ground. He surfed through the street, avoided ninja whenever he could. There was no end in sight. He didn't want to have to stop them. That meant killing them or bringing them close to it.

Determined not to, he surfed away as fast as he could, trying to think of a way out of this.

* * *

"I smell him!" Naruto announced. He jumped into the street and started running.

"Naruto, get back here!"

"The plan was to stay hidden!"

"So much for that..." Shikamaru moaned.

Naruto called to Seki. "Come on! This way!" Both foxes ran down the street as quickly as they could. "There!" Naruto sprang into human form and ran forward. "Gaara!"

Gaara heard his name and turned his head. That sounded like Naruto's voice.

"Gaara!"

"Naruto?" Gaara moved his sand board down another street and started searching. He looked left and right, hoping it wasn't his imagination. He also hoped Naruto wasn't trying to kill him, too.

He spotted him jumping up and down, waving his arms in the air trying to get his attention. "Gaara! Gaara!"

"Naruto?" Gaara hopped off his board and went over to him. "What are you doing here?" Since Naruto wasn't brandishing a weapon and wasn't acting hostile, Gaara trusted he was safe to approach.

"We came to make sure you were ok. We thought you and your village were going to be attacked."

"You were right. My siblings and half the village are on my tail. But how did you know-"

"I'll tell you later." Naruto grabbed Gaara's arm and pulled him down the street. "We have to get you out of here fast."

Gaara looked up and shielded them with a wall of sand. Muffled explosions sounded from the other side, signaling that more paper bombs had gone off. Getting away without hurting anyone wasn't going to be easy. "Naruto, they'll follow us out of the village," Gaara told him.

"Not if they don't think that." Naruto whistled. "Seki! I need some cover!"

"On it." A fox appeared on a garbage can and sent an odd flame down the street. "Fox fire!"

Illusions of Gaara appeared and took off down another street. The hoard of ninja following them chased after the illusion. The rest followed the second illusion ducking inside a building where it quickly vanished but left the ninja searching, thinking it was hiding somewhere.

Naruto returned to the rest of the group and together, they ran for the exit. Gaara looked back at his village once they were beyond its walls. Everyone was back there. His siblings, his people. His home. Naruto pulled hard on Gaara's arm, urging him to follow. Gaara took one final look at his home and followed Naruto through the sand dunes.

* * *

They didn't stop until they were out of the desert and quickly went into the nearest forest they could find. Gaara sat down to rest while the others filled him in. Sakura offered Gaara some of her water and poured some into Naruto's cupped hands for Seki to drink.

"So that's why everyone was behaving that way," said Gaara. "It's a jutsu."

"We thought Karada would target your village since you're allies with the Leaf and are friends with Naruto. As we've explained, these kitsune are very vindictive. Everyone is a target." Shikamaru took a drink from his water bottle. "I wasn't sure if Karada would use the jutsu on you and make another powerful enemy, or if he was going to kill you to torture Naruto."

"Kill me?"

"Yeah," said Shikamaru. "Losing one friend was bad enough. Losing you might send him over the edge and I'm sure that's what the enemy wants."

Losing Jack was devastating enough and Naruto hadn't known him for that long. Losing Gaara when he had already lost him once before... Naruto went wild for a minute when he realized he was too late to save him from the Akatsuki. If something happened to Gaara again...

"We had to get you out of there before something happened."

"What's going to happen to everyone there?" asked Gaara.

"Not sure. But once we defeat the enemy, everything will go back to normal." Naruto put his hand on Gaara's shoulder. "You're in the same boat as we are. My village is the same way. Only these guys managed to get away. We have to stay together."

"Agreed." Gaara gave Sakura her water bottle. "How is it you're not effected by the jutsu?"

"Because I'm part kitsune now." Naruto showed Gaara his tail.

"Oh, yes. You mentioned being under a curse. But you can switch back and forth, correct?"

"Yup." Naruto wagged his tail.

Gaara looked at the ground. "So being a kitsune gives you new powers, makes you immune to the jutsu and other jutsu as well? Hmm... I don't want to become a victim of the jutsu and end up attacking you. So... Is it possible for me to get that curse, too?"

"What?!" Sakura cried. "You, too?"

"Shikamaru already thought of that but he thought there were too many risks."

"Like what?"

"Well, that your instincts would get out of control, you might change at random. That sort of thing."

Gaara thought about it. "Well..."

"Actually..." Naruto faced the others with a smile. "Gaara becoming a kitsune might not be so bad. He used to have a tailed beast just like I do. Resisting impulses might be easier for him to do. And with me and Seki here, together we can teach him how to use his powers. He'll pick it up fast."

"Well..." Shikamaru and Sakura looked at each other nervously.

"And if it works for him, maybe you guys can do it, too."

"If?" Gaara repeated.

"Come on!" Naruto urged. "And as long as Gaara's a kitsune, the jutsu won't effect him. If Gaara gets hit by it, they'll have someone really powerful on their side. They might attack the mountain using him. Gaara's super strong. Giving him this curse might be his only chance. At least consider it."

They seemed to be considering it. They were still unsure.

"I'm willing," said Gaara. "We can at least give it a try. If it doesn't work, it can be reversed, right?"

"Yeah..." they said hesitantly.

"Please?" Naruto put his hands together, begging.

Gaara looked at them. "It's worth a try. I'm willing to see where this goes. And if it's easy to undo, then I don't see why we can't try it."

"There's another plus to being cursed," said Shikamaru. "He can't get cursed again. We still don't know who that cursed necklace is. What if Gaara runs into the kitsune and gets cursed? Being cursed by Seki means no one else can curse him."

"Exactly!" said Naruto. "See? It's a good thing. No jutsu, no curses, new powers... I'm seeing good things here."

"But Naruto, a curse is still a curse," said Sakura. "It's called that for a reason. Something is always taken away. Even with you."

"Hey, I'm managing just fine. And I'll be there for Gaara."

Gaara nodded. "I say we give it a shot."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

He nodded again. "Yes. It's worth a shot. There are some good things that go along with this. And this can be easily removed if it becomes a problem. It's as you said, being cursed makes me immune to jutsu and prevents me from being cursed a second time. I don't want to risk getting hit by the jutsu and coming after you guys. I know myself pretty well. Under its influence, I will try to kill you. I don't want to do that. And being cursed by the enemy sounds just as awful. Who knows what could happen? I might be an object or something much worse. I think getting cursed into being a kitsune outweighs the alternative. Both have risks. I think being cursed by Seki may be the lesser of two evils. And even with a new animal nature to deal with, I'll still be able to help you fight. Remember, my village was attacked, too. I have to do everything I can to get it back. No matter the risk."

Shikamaru looked at the others. "Sounds like his mind is made up."

"Yeah," added Naruto. "It's his choice. We told him the situation, gave him the risks from doing either thing and told him our concerns. Let Gaara choose. There's no point in arguing anymore. Anything we say will only be a repeat of what was said before."

"He's right. We're wasting time. If there's a choice to be made, let it be done now. And we already established that it can easily be reversed."

Sakura sighed. They were right. There was no point in arguing and no point in wasting more time. Even if the cursed turned out to be a problem, it was easily reversed.

"Alright, Seki." Naruto gave his friend a little push towards Gaara. "Give him the curse."

Seki looked nervous. "Naruto, each and every curse is different. I told you that. Even the curse you're under now is different from the curse you had before. The one I give Gaara might not be the exact same one you have."

"As long as he's a kitsune, who cares?" Naruto wasn't worried at all. He was confident things would only improve upon Gaara receiving the curse and becoming a kitsine. "We'll both be there to help him out. Let's not waste anymore time."

Seki faced Gaara. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll be." Gaara sat in front of Seki. "How do we do this? What should I..?"

"Just keep still. I just have to touch you and it's done."

"Alright. I'm ready."

Both took a deep breath. Seki placed his paw on Gaara's knee. "Curse."

Gaara's body was engulfed in a mystical bluish-green light. His body began to change shape. He started to grow smaller. The light surrounding him started to fade and Naruto stepped closer for a better look.

"Uh..." The group stared open-mouthed at Gaara.

Gaara, seeing their stunned gazes, looked down at his body. "What did you do to me?!"

* * *

D8

What happened?! Any guesses?

Please review! ^-^


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26:**

"What did you do to me?!"

Everyone stared at Gaara. "Uh..."

"That's... not right..." Naruto said slowly.

Gaara wasn't a kitsine.

He was a raccoon.

"I thought you were turning him into a kitsune," said Sakura.

"I, uh..." Seki was just as stunned as everyone else. "I was. But... Uh..."

"Why am I a raccoon?!" Gaara snapped.

"Uh... Remember, I did say that the curses inflicted are random. I can't always control what a person turns into."

"You said-"

"Look!" Seki said loudly. "Even when I cursed Naruto, I had to practice first on some other things to make sure I didn't screw up his. Even then I hit a few snags. His isn't one hundred percent either."

"A fox and raccoon are two different animals! This is more than just a simple snag!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

Shikamaru looked Gaara up and down. "It seems that with a lot of these curses, they seem to reflect a person's features in some way. They still resemble the person, even as an object."

"You're right," said Naruto. "Even when Sakura was cursed, it still sort of looked like her. It was pink like her hair and it was a lotus flower just like the cake the chefs made her. Reevo even compared her to a flower before. And when you guys were cursed, something linked to all of you were taken away specifically. Like Shino and his bugs. It's obvious, isn't it?"

"And Naruto is sort of fox-like to begin with. So it's no wonder it was easy to get him to be a kitsune again. He is already sort of like one. Even personality wise. And Gaara is sort of like a raccoon. I mean, the rings around his eyes alone..."

"I don't sleep much."

"Gaara does sort of resemble a raccoon. So I suppose this curse doesn't come as too much of a surprise if you look at it that way," said Shikamaru. "If I were to be cursed, I might become a deer just because of my name and family business. Shino himself might be a bug."

Naruto shifted into his full fox form and took a closer look at Gaara. "You know, this isn't half bad. It's actually pretty cool."

Gaara glared at him. Then he turned to Seki. "Change me back. I don't want to be a raccoon. Change me back and we'll try again."

"Alright. I can give it another shot-"

"Wait!" Sakura wedged herself between them. "Given what Shikamaru just said, trying again might not do a thing. It might even make it worse. At least we can understand what you're saying. What if he tries it again and you become a real raccoon who can't speak or even knows it's human? You might run off into the woods and we'll have to chase you down. At least like this you know what's going on and we can still talk to you."

"That's true..."

"And you might still be a raccoon even if he tries again. Might as well cut our losses and keep things the way they are."

"And since you're cursed, you can't get cursed again," pointed out Naruto. "There's a plus."

"But what about the jutsu?" asked Gaara. "Kitsune are the ones who are immune, but what about raccoons?"

"I don't think the jutsu effects animals," said Naruto. "Come to think of it, I noticed something important. We've run into Kiba a few times and each time, Akamaru wasn't with him. Those two are always together so why not now? I think the jutsu doesn't effect animals."

"Then where's Akamaru now?" asked Sakura. "He could be the necklace but I'm thinking it was someone cursed recently. If Akamaru hasn't been a round for a while, then he's probably somewhere else and has been for a while."

"Might actually be a good thing for us since Kiba and Akamaru are strongest together," said Shikamaru. "Without Akamaru around, Kiba's a lot weaker. He can't use combo attacks without him."

"So I guess we just leave Gaara like this. No curse and no jutsu. Seems pretty good so far if you ask me."

Gaara looked down at his new body. He didn't look happy.

Naruto nuzzled Gaara's body with his head. Gaara stiffened at his touch. "What are you doing?" This nuzzling made him pretty uncomfortable.

"I'm just trying to comfort you."

"It feels weird. So stop."

"Fine," Naruto sighed.

"Naruto." Seki motioned him over with his head. Naruto followed him away from the group. "I have to go."

"Again? But why?" Naruto asked him.

"Don't worry. I will return soon. I'm just searching the area for more ninja. I have to make sure you guys are safe."

"Then I'm coming, too."

"No, Naruto. You need to be here for your friends."

"Then why don't you stay and I'll go?"

Seki shook his head. "They need you, Naruto. Not me. And I think Gaara needs you now most of all. You must be there for them. I cannot help them and I cannot help Gaara. But you can. So please stay and let me go."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest but he closed it again, knowing Seki was right. If he had to go, it must have been important. "Alright. Hurry back and be careful."

Seki nuzzled Naruto good-bye and ran off into the forest.

Naruto watched him go then returned to the others. They decided to make camp for the night but in a different area. They started to wander through the forest.

"I'm a raccoon," Gaara kept repeating under his breath.

"It's not so bad," said Naruto.

"I'm a raccoon."

"At least we can still talk to you."

"I'm a raccoon."

"At least you still have thumbs."

"I'm a raccoon."

"Maybe you can use jutsu. Maybe?"

"I'm. A. Raccoon!"

"You don't have to get so pissed off about it. I mean, I'm a fox in case you haven't noticed."

Gaara moaned, hanging his head. "I don't even know how to be a raccoon. I can't walk on two legs so I'm trying to get used to this." Gaara gestured to his four limbs. Walking on four legs was very odd but more comfortable and easier than walking on two legs. However, Gaara had to get used to not using his hands to gesture around or carry things since he was using them to walk.

"You'll get the hang of it."

"It's not just that," Gaara said with a slight sigh. "Even if I could use jutsu, I left my gourd back at my office and there's no sand here I can use. I could always make more sand but to do that, I would use my own sand to ground up minerals in the earth. I feel helpless like this. Not to mention I'm about one fifth my size."

"I'm here for you, Gaara. Don't worry. We'll get through this together. It'll be fine. You'll see."

Gaara kept his head down. "I certainly hope so." Gaara frowned in sadness. "I have to get my village back. This jutsu... I saw what it could do. This morning, everyone was their normal selves, saying hello to me and taking care of each other. In just a few hours, everyone turned against me and tried to kill me. Even Kankuro tried to poison my tea. He was clumsy about it. I think he was trying to be sneaky about it and failed. I don't know. No one is their normal self anymore. In my past, I'm used to people trying to kill me. But never my siblings. They were too afraid to try."

Gaara had been hurt before. In his past, people have tried to kill him. Things changed and now people looked to him for strength and protection. Because of the jutsu, Gaara was forced to relive his past again. The only difference is that he was the one who was not the same as before. He did not want to kill them. He wanted to protect them. He loved them. They were the ones who had changed into something Gaara couldn't fight. Deep down, the urge was there to kill them to protect himself but he suppressed it.

"I don't want to hurt them. It isn't their fault."

"I know, Gaara." Naruto sighed, thinking about home. Or what was left of it now. "We're in the same situation now. Both our villages have been taken over and everyone we care about is after us. And we can't bring ourselves to hurt them."

All because of the kitsune. The one remaining did all of this. All because he wanted that mountain.

"I'm sorry, Gaara."

"Why?"

"We told you what was going on with the mountain and all. If you weren't my friend or an ally with the Leaf, you wouldn't have been a target. Sorry you got dragged into this."

"I don't hold it against you, Naruto. And I don't regret being your friend. I'm still thankful that you are and always will be."

Gaara's words were touching. They brought a smile to Naruto's face.

"You don't regret being friends with the kitsune, do you?" Gaara asked him. "After all, if you weren't their friends, you wouldn't be a target either."

"Of course not. I'm still their friend and I'll never regret it. Even with all this that's going on, I don't regret it for a second. I'm not mad at them. I'm pissed at the ones who are making our friendship into a reason for war."

Gaara sighed. "To think, if the kitsune just gave up the mountain, none of this would be happening."

"What if you were asked to give up your village to someone just because they wanted it and threatened to turn it into a huge thing if you didn't? Home is home. And if the bad kitsune get it, they're going to torment innocent people and take over. Not giving them what they want is the best choice. It will prevent worse things from happening. It's wrong to take the easy way out. It could make things escalate from there."

"You're right," Gaara told him. "As a leader, anywhere, there are tough decisions you have to make all the time. When you become Hokage... Well, I think you'll be a great one with such words of wisdom."

Naruto grinned. Gaara said 'when' he became Hokage. That meant even he believed in him.

Gaara was suddenly lifted up from behind by Sakura. Gaara twisted around to look at her. "What are you doing?"

"You were slowing down a little," said told him. "I figured walking in a way you're not used to would be tough. So I decided to carry you."

"I'll get better at it with practice," said Gaara. "And that can only happen if you put me down and let me walk on my own."

"I also wanted to hold you because you look so fluffy." Sakura gave Gaara a hug. "I was right! Your fur is soft!"

"Please don't do that..."

"Fluffy!"

"Stop it."

Naruto looked at them jealously. He started pawing Sakura's leg. "Why don't you do that with me?" he whined.

"Because you're begging for it. Besides, Gaara's smaller and easier to hug than you are."

Naruto frowned.

Gaara hung limply in Sakura's arms. "Please stop that..." he moaned.

Sakura stopped hugging Gaara but refused to put him down. She carried him while they walked deeper into the forest. After a while, Sakura looked down to check on Gaara who hadn't said a word for a while. "Doing ok, Gaara?" she asked him.

He nodded. "Fine."

A few minutes later, Gaara rested his head on Sakura's arm. He was getting tired. Shikamaru picked a spot for them to set up camp. Sakura lowered Gaara to the ground while they set to work. Once everything was in place, they each chose a spot to sleep for the night. Naruto crawled over to sleep beside Gaara.

Gaara stared at the stars between the tree branches overhead, letting it all sink in.

"In just a matter of hours, my village turned against me, my siblings tried to kill me, I had to run away from my own village, leaving behind everything I had including my gourd of sand, get cursed and turned into a raccoon."

"It is a bit overwhelming, isn't it?" said Naruto.

"It is." Gaara remained on his back, staring straight up at the sky. "I can usually keep my cool, but this... I tend to be pretty fearless. I never had reason to worry since my sand was always there to protect me. But only on the outside. I feel like a child again, with a pain in my chest only there's no wound. I'm hurting on the inside."

"I know that feeling."

"And I also know the feeling of having someone you trusted and cared about come after you with the intent to kill."

"This has happened before? I thought your siblings were too cared to try anything."

"It wasn't them. It was Ya... Never mind who it was. Different times. And even that was different from the situation now."

"Don't worry, Gaara," said Naruto. "Once we get the one remaining kitsune, everything will go back to normal. Your village will be good as new. You'll see."

Gaara looked at his paw. "I've been trying to change back into a human since I got this curse, but I haven't been able to. Not like you."

"Well, the first curse I had made me change from night and day. Maybe yours is like that, too. Maybe you're a werecoon."

"A what?"

"I made that up just now. What do you think?"

Gaara shrugged. "Passable, I guess." He sighed again. "I hope I'm not going to be a raccoon all the time. I want to be able to change back into a human. Not just for comfort but to be able to use jutsu and everything else. I don't think I'll be much use to you guys as a simple raccoon."

"You'll be fine," Naruto assured him. "You'll see."

Gaara looked back at the sky. "I hope you're right."

This was possibly the first time in his life where he actually felt helpless. However, having Naruto near him, not acting the least bit worried, helped Gaara cope. If Naruto wasn't worried, there must have been little to worry about. His carefree attitude had a strange way of rubbing off.

As long as Naruto was here by his side, Gaara felt like he could muddle through just about anything.

* * *

The next morning, Shikamaru packed up camp while Sakura went to check on Naruto and Gaara. They couldn't stay in one area for too long so they had to get going as soon as possible.

When she went over to check on the two animals, she found them both still asleep curled up together. The major difference was that they were both humans.

"Gaara?" Sakura called gently. "Gaara."

Gaara's eyes were closed, still in slumber. She touched his chest with her hand and he moaned.

"Gaara. Gaara."

"What?" he asked without opening his eyes.

"Wake up."

Gaara turned his head away.

"Wake up, Gaara. You're human again."

"That's fine," Gaara moaned sleepily. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. "What did you say?"

"You're human again."

Gaara looked at his hands. Human fingers and not a trace of fur to be found. Gaara sat up straight and checked the rest of his body. No tail or fur or anything. With a huge sigh of relief, Gaara flopped back down. "That's great."

Gaara wasn't the type to jump up and down cheering like Naruto. Not even in a situation like this. He was happy but he had a subtle way of showing it.

Soon, they were wandering around again. Gaara asked them where they were going and for what purpose.

"At this point, we're just wandering aimlessly, trying to avoid ninja who may want to hurt us. If we stay in one place for too long, they find us and we don't want to take on a whole army with just us. Not good odds. We're also hoping to come across the final kitsune. But just happening upon him seems very slim."

"I see."

"Hey, it's not a great plan, I'll admit but it's a troublesome situation and I don't fully understand what kitsune are thinking," said Shikamaru. "I've been trying to understand their plans but from my point of view, they seem to be making it up as they go."

Gaara stopped walking.

"What's wrong?"

Gaara frowned. "I'm... not sure."

Everyone stopped and watched him closely. "Are you ok?"

"I... I feel strange..." Gaara gave his head a quick shake. "I'm alright. Let's keep moving."

"Are you sure you're ok?" Sakura asked, worried.

"I think I'll be fine."

"What was that? What did you feel?"

"I'm not sure. I just felt strange. I can't explain it. But I'm alright. Don't worry about me."

Sakura looked at him suspiciously but took his word for it.

After another minute, Gaara stopped walking again. He looked to his left and wandered away from the group. Everyone stopped to watch him. Gaara stood at the base of a tall tree and looked up into its branches. He bent his knees and jumped up. He clung to the trunk with his arms and legs and started to climb up the tree without using chakra. He climbed to the first thick branch and crouched on it like a cat.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked him.

"Climbing a tree."

"I can see that but why?"

Gaara frowned in confusion. "I don't know. I just felt like it."

"Felt like it?"

"I suddenly got the urge to climb a tree and here I am."

Sakura and Shikamaru looked at each other. "Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh?" Gaara dangled his legs over the side of the branch. "What?"

"Um..." Shikamaru was the one to break the news to him. "In light of this, we're starting to think maybe you're starting to get animal instincts to go along with your animal form. Which would explain the urges."

Gaara jumped out of the tree he was perched on. "Are you saying even as a human being I'm going to act like an animal?"

Shikamaru shrugged.

"Really? That's all you have to say?"

"Hey, it's a guess on my part. So far it seems to be accurate. But as far as animal instincts go, being a raccoon isn't so bad. At least you're not a bear or a wolf or something more dangerous."

"A raccoon can still claw your eyes out," said Sakura.

"The point is..."

"It's fine," Gaara said quickly. "I can deal with this. I brought this on myself anyway. I'll handle it. I can suppress it. If I could do it with the tailed beast inside me, I can do it with animal instincts."

Shikamaru scratched his head. "I'm not sure those things are the same."

"He can do it," said Naruto. "I know he can."

Shikamaru still wanted to keep an eye on him.

For most of the morning, Gaara remained human in both form and antics. However, when they stopped to eat by a river, Gaara wouldn't touch the lunch box offered to him. Instead, he went to the river itself and tried fishing with his bare hands. He managed to catch a small fish and threw it on land. As it flopped around, Gaara held it down with both hands until it stopped moving. Rather than eat it, Gaara left it by the stream and came to sit by the others having their late breakfast.

"He's hunting for sport," whispered Sakura. "Raccoons do that, don't they?"

Shikamaru ignored the question and continued eating.

Naruto handed Gaara a lunch box. "Here. This one's yours."

"Thanks." Gaara opened it and sniffed the food. Then, rather than using chopsticks, Gaara stuck his face in the rice. Everyone stopped to stare at him. Gaara lifted his head, rice still stuck to his nose and cheeks. "What?"

"You, uh... Got a little..." Sakura pointed to her cheek.

Gaara rubbed it off on the back of his hand. "Oh. Thanks." Next he grabbed a fist-full of rice and ate from his hand.

"Do you know you're doing that?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"Doing what?"

"Leave it alone, Sakura," Shikamaru advised her.

In addition to eating with his hand and face, Gaara also dunked the meat from his lunch in the river before eating it. Naruto thought Gaara was washing his food off because it was too spicy, but Shikamaru and Sakura knew this was another raccoon thing.

After a bizarre breakfast, they pressed on. They wandered for hours until the forest started to thin out. A wide open field greeted them and Naruto grew excited. He shifted back into fox form and took off into the field. Gaara watched him slightly confused. He figured after walking for hours on end Naruto would be too tired to run.

Gaara sneezed and suddenly transformed into a raccoon again. "Oh, great."

"Alright!" Naruto cheered. "You can play with me!"

"Play?"

"Yeah! It'll be great. Come on."

"Uh..." Gaara leaned away. He wanted to play with others more than anything when he was a child but now he felt he was too old for such things. Especially now that he was the Kazekage. Playing now would probably make him look immature.

"Come on, Gaara!" Naruto came back and nudged Gaara with his paw. "Let's go!"

"I- I don't think I..."

"Come on!" Naruto grabbed Gaara's tail in his teeth. "Onward!"

"That hurts!"

"Run! Run! Run!"

"Naruto, I-"

"Come on!" Naruto pushed Gaara over. "It's fun! You'll see."

Gaara clung to Naruto as he picked him up in his teeth, carrying Gaara into the field. Then he dropped him and encouraged him to play. Gaara was unsure of what to do. "How is running around like a fool playing?"

"It's like tag. That's fun. Come on!"

"I'm not sure how..."

"Like this." Naruto pounced on Gaara and pinned him own. "Now you come get me."

"But you're bigger than I am," Gaara complained. "And we-"

"Just try it. Go!" Naruto started running, stopping now and then to see if Gaara was following him. "I said go! Come on!"

At least someone wanted to play with him for a change. With little to lose, Gaara started walking in Naruto's direction. When Naruto took off, Gaara quickened the pace. This seemed silly to him. Was this really the time or place for this? Then again, playing was better than worrying. Was Naruto doing this to cope with stress? Was that the point? Or was this just animal instincts kicking in?

Gaara broke into a run. He started stumbling, still not used to using four legs. Once he got the hang of it, he was running quickly. He could see Naruto over the tall blades of grass. "Hurry up! Come get me!" Naruto hollered. Gaara chased after him as quickly as he could. Naruto darted to the right. "Almost! Try again!"

This was ridiculous. Naruto was so much faster than him. He was used to walking and running on all fours but Gaara wasn't. Gaara was getting annoyed. What was the point of all this? This random game was foolish.

Naruto kept taunting him so Gaara sped up to catch him and order him to stop. He came close this time. Then Naruto moved aside. Frustrated, Gaara darted to the side and chased Naruto, determined to catch him. He reached out with his front paws, jumping. The tips of his claws barely touched Naruto's tail.

"I almost had him that time," Gaara said to himself. "I touched his fur. I felt it." He quickly broke into another run, determined to catch up. He saw Naruto's tail and grinned. He would get him this time. He pounced again but missed. Gaara wasn't upset. He would get him this time for sure.

Gaara was no longer trying to catch Naruto to stop him. He just wanted to catch him. This was actually kind of fun. Each time he got just a little closer. This was exciting.

Gaara crouched in the grass, hiding. When Naruto stopped and looked around, he couldn't see his friend. Naruto wandered back, curious. "Gaara?" he called. When Naruto was close enough, Gaara jumped out and startled him. Naruto flinched, giving Gaara the perfect shot.

"Ha!" Gaara tagged Naruto on the shoulder. "Got you!"

"Haha! Good one, Gaara. Ok, my turn!"

"You won't get me!" Gaara ran from Naruto. "Can't catch me!"

"Yes I can and I will!"

"Too slow!"

"I got you!"

"No way!"

"I'm gonna get you, Gaara!"

Sakura and Shikamaru watched from the edge of the forest. Naruto and Gaara were having a lot of fun. Their playful yelps of surprise coupled with laughter rose into the air. "Should we let them do this?" Sakura asked Shikamaru.

"Why not?"

* * *

After a wonderful break, Naruto and Gaara came back to the others and sat in the grass, resting. They were still wearing smiles on their furry faces and panting heavily.

"I'm so tired," Gaara said, still smiling. "I've never run like that before."

"Fun, huh?"

"It was. That was my first game of tag. I've never played it before. It was fun."

"And you even learned some useful skills by playing," said Shikamaru. "Now you can run faster in your animal form and you learned how to sneak attack which is also useful. Good skills for hunting and in battle. See, Gaara? You won't be useless as a raccoon after all."

Gaara lifted his head. He didn't realize that until just now. Shikamaru was right. By playing, he had gotten stronger.

"Well," Shikamaru said, clapping his hands together. "Let's get going."

"Already?" Naruto whined.

"You've been running around for hours. Sakura and I have rested so we're good to go."

"But we're tired from running so much!" Naruto whined again.

"You know if we stay in an area for too long we'll attract attention to ourselves. And taking on a group of ninja with Gaara still adjusting to his new form would be extremely difficult not to mention dangerous."

Gaara lifted himself onto his paws which shook under his weight. He flopped back down on the grass. "My legs are too weak to carry me. I can't move."

"I'll carry him!" Sakura scooped up Gaara and cradled him in her arms. "He's just so soft! Like a teddy bear."

Naruto pouted jealously. "So who's gonna carry me?"

He wasn't thrilled when Shikamaru threw him over his shoulder and started walking.

"It's no picnic for me either," Shikamaru muttered.

Naruto didn't stay on Shikamaru for long. Once his paws were rested enough, he decided to walk on his own. Without thinking, he changed into his human form and Shikamaru fell forward at the sudden increase in weight. Naruto apologized but was laughing at the same time. It was pretty funny.

Before long, they happened upon a small town and decided to take a break. Not knowing what to find, Sakura and Shikamaru removed their headbands and urged Naruto to do the same. Naruto refused at first but knowing what happened the last time, he took it off and stuffed it into Sakura's bag. This was a crowded place so they could easily lose themselves among the people.

The group stopped at an outdoor cafe for a late lunch. Gaara hid under the table while the others ate. He couldn't figure out how to change back and only humans were served at the cafe. Naruto slipped Gaara food under the table and picked at some of the finger sandwiches the waitress brought them.

"So what's the plan?" asked Sakura. "Just keep running around avoiding ninja like we've been doing?" Even she was getting fed up with this.

"I agree," said Naruto. "We just keep running around. Enough already. We have to do something."

"I know that," said Shikamaru. "But not fighting our friends isn't just a moral issue. It's also practical. We can't take on all those ninja at once by ourselves. Now we have two ninja villages to worry about. Even with all your shadow clones and without having to worry about your curse, it would be impossible."

"No, it wouldn't. If I use a lot of clones then-"

"We're not talking about a hoard of bandits or a couple of rouge ninja. We're taking on our whole village. People we know. Our friends. They have strong jutsu as well and they're going to be expecting certain tricks from us. The only difference between them and us is the fact that they are willing to kill us. They won't hold back and we will. We will show mercy. And you saw Shino. He was willing to blow himself up just to take us down. Obviously, even personality takes a back seat when it comes to Karada's orders."

"And remember, Naruto, you were the one who wanted us to run and hide to keep safe," added Sakura. "If Karada shows up, it's over. We can't combat that jutsu of his. We need a plan. So far our only plan is to avoid him at all cost and find the one remaining kitsune."

"Yeah, what a good job we've been doing there," muttered Naruto. "No one, not even Seki, knows where he is. We're just wandering around hoping for the best. We have to do something else. Maybe if we restrain Karada-"

"Then our friends will come to his rescue like before," said Shikamaru. "And like I said, then we have an army of brainwashed friends to deal with. Not good odds."

"So we're just gonna keep wandering around like this?" Naruto was fed up with the idea.

"I'll admit it's not the best plan in the world, but it's all we have so far."

"That isn't a plan," Naruto complained. "Come up with something better!"

"We also have to deal with Gaara's curse in addition to everything else. Don't forget that."

Under the table, Gaara hung his head shamefully. He felt like a burden on the group.

"I'm still trying to figure out the enemy's plan, Naruto," Shikamaru went on. "I don't want to make a move unless I'm sure it won't backfire on us. I don't want to send us into a trap because you're impatient."

"For the past couple days it's wandering aimlessly in the woods! Don't tell me I'm being impatient! In case you've forgotten, our friends are trying to kill us, two ninja villages have been brought to their knees and people are getting cursed! Time is the last thing we have right now. The longer we wait, the worse it's going to get!"

"Naruto, keep your voice down!" Sakura shushed him.

He looked around at the other tables. A few people were turning their heads to stare at them. Naruto sat back in his seat, his lips tightly closed.

"He's right, though," said Shikamaru. "We don't have a lot of time. The longer we take, the more the enemy gets. The Sand was targeted because we didn't do something sooner. Not that we could. I just wish I could figure out their plan."

"Let's go over what we know," said Sakura. "Maybe we can figure it out together. And Naruto being part kitsune might be able to offer some insight."

Shikamaru leaned in closer so they could hear him as he lowered his voice. "The mountain is the main objective. That's what they want. They're after Naruto and his friends, even from other villages, because he's friends with the mountain kitsune. The enemy is vindictive so that makes everyone a target. That much we know for certain. We also know that one of the reasons why they want the mountain is for the town just below it. They want to pray on innocent humans. They find it fun to torture humans. That's another reason why they're targeting us and the Sand village. We're just play things to them. Messing with us is just a sick joke to them that they find fun."

"There doesn't have to be reason for it. They just do it because they find it fun," Naruto said. "You've been thinking of strategy, Shikamaru. Like in a ninja battle. Put they're not ninja. This isn't about winning a battle. It's about fun. Even with Karada ordering everyone around, if he's under a kitsune's curse then that means there's a fox pulling his strings as well. That means even his orders might be the orders of a kitsune."

"But their goal is the mountain. Seems like a drawn-out way to get it," said Sakura. "Even if this is fun, the kitsune is still scared and knows we're a threat because we killed his partner. He's running scared. No one can find him. Not even Seki and he's been looking."

"He must feel pretty safe considering what's going on. And if he's using Karada, that means he thinks he's safe. He's using someone else to do the fighting for him while he hides somewhere safe."

"But all these things aren't just for fun or to torment Naruto," said Shikamaru. "Two ninja villages are better when it comes to attacking the mountain. He's gathering an army. There is reason behind the madness."

"And getting at Naruto seems to be a part of that goal," said Sakura. "You heard what Captain Yamato said. He wanted Naruto to get angry enough to unleash the Nine-Tailed Fox. Naruto would have done the job for them. He also would have taken us out. So attacking the Sand village and the Leaf isn't just about getting an army or being cruel. It's also to get Naruto worked up enough to go wild and rampage."

"Yeah, I noticed." Shikamaru rubbed his head. "Also given that amulet around Karada's neck, he must have seen the kitsune recently in order to obtain it. Which means it's still in the area, like I said. The problem is if it's really that close, then why is it no one can find it? Seki was in the forest all this time. He was even close to Karada when he had the amulet. Surely he would have caught his scent or something. Just how crafty can this fox be?"

"Very," said Naruto.

"Is it possible that Seki is really the remaining kitsune in disguise?" asked Sakura.

"No way," said Naruto. "His scent and personality are all Seki. That's him for sure. And he hasn't done anything to hinder us."

"Yeah," said Gaara from under the table. "This transformation is really helping."

Shikamaru started to think of possible outcomes to charging into battle as Naruto was itching for. "On the one hand, if we start searching for Karada to capture him, we could be walking into a trap. The jutsu can still effect us. We still don't know how exactly he does it. If he has to touch you or make eye contact or speak it or stand within a certain distance. We have no idea. Even when I was spying, I couldn't figure it out. I didn't see him perform the jutsu on everyone. Only a few people. And if we go in and end up capturing Karada, what good would it do? Everyone will come to save him, too. Either way, we'll have to fight an army. The other option..."

While Shikamaru went on, Naruto crawled under the table to check on Gaara. "You doing ok down here?" he asked.

"I just wish I could be of better use to you guys." Gaara sighed heavily. "It's an interesting feeling. Knowing that you've always been strong and suddenly you're not. I've never felt like this before. There are other times when I don't even feel like myself. These urges and things like that... It makes me feel like I'm not myself anymore. I don't know what to make of it. It just feels strange."

"I get that." Naruto shifted into fox form to fit under the table with him. "During all this, there were times when I wondered if I ended up making the wrong call when I had one of those urges. Even the ones that felt so natural to me. Is it me or the fox? Is this a natural feeling for a human or a kitsune? It's hard. But it's ok. It helps, too, sometimes. And I'm here to help you get through it, Gaara. So you don't have to worry. We'll both get our villages back."

Gaara sighed again. "I also feel bad that as the Kazekage I wasn't able to protect it. Not to mention I ran from everyone. I fled my own village."

"You knew there was nothing you could do at that point. You also knew that if you stayed, someone would have gotten hurt. You didn't want to hurt them. You said so. You made the right call. Getting away was the best thing you could have done. You would have either ended up hurting someone, killing them, gotten yourself killed or you could have gotten hit by that jutsu. You could have even ended up cursed if the kitsune was there. Now you're with us and we're going to help each other."

Gaara nodded. "I hope so. I don't know if I can handle these feelings anymore. Even these new ones that make me feel different."

Naruto ate part of the sandwich Gaara had left on the ground. He didn't mind eating off the floor. They watched people's legs as they moved from tables and traveled across the floor carrying orders. It was actually kind of fun watching people from down here. Being under the table felt like being in a secret fort. It made them both feel safe. People got up from tables and new people came and sat down.

Naruto's ears twitched when a couple sat down at the table he was facing. They had a dog on a leash with them. The end of the leash was tied around the chair leg of the woman's seat and the dog was ordered to sit. So far it obeyed.

Gaara moved closer to Naruto. "I'm getting another strange feeling, Naruto."

"Does it feel like fear or something like that?"

"Not exactly."

"What's the feeling telling you?"

"Just to avoid the dog. I just feel uncomfortable. Not scared."

"Alright. Just keep calm." Naruto kept very still, hoping to go unnoticed.

The dog's head turned in their direction and started sniffing. The dog stood up and pulled his leash straight. He couldn't go any further, but Naruto was still nervous.

The dog started to growl.

"Stay calm," Naruto whispered to Gaara. "Stay calm."

"Why?" Gaara didn't seem worried. "It's just a dog. I'm not afraid of them."

"No matter what happens, stay calm."

"I don't understand. Why? The dog's on a leash and I already told you I'm not afraid of them."

The dog let out a loud bark.

Something clicked in Gaara's brain, telling him to run. Startled by the bark, Gaara bolted out from under the table. Seeing the animal run, the dog pulled hard against its leash. The chair tilted sideways and the woman fell. Without the weight pressing down on the leash, the dog pulled away, dragging the chair behind it. Soon the leash slipped free and the dog was able to run as it pleased. It went straight for Gaara. It dove under the table and out the other side. The table fell over, spilling their food and drinks, and revealing Naruto.

"Gaara?!" Naruto looked around. Gaara was running from the dog as fast as he could. "I'm coming!" Naruto ran after the dog.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried.

Eyes focused on the dog, Naruto didn't noticed all the havoc he was causing at the cafe. He ran in front of waitresses, nearly knocking them over. Several spilled the dishes they were carrying or sloshed water on guests. Gaara jumped onto tables and ran across them, stepping on food and knocking over drinks. The dog followed wherever he went and Naruto knocked over any tables the other two didn't. They chased each other around the cafe, barking, yelling and screaming.

"Leave Gaara alone!" Naruto jumped on the dog and knocked it to the ground. When the dog snapped at him, Naruto's kitsune instincts told him to run. Now Naruto was the one being chased. "Stop it! Go away!"

"Stop! Stop!" Sakura yelled. Naruto ran between her legs and the dog tackled her to the ground. When she fell onto her back, the dog trampled over her face to get to Naruto.

"Where's Gaara?" Shikamaru called, trying to grab the dog's leash.

"I don't know. Gaara? Gaara?" Sakura started searching.

A woman screamed and Sakura looked over to see Gaara trying to dive into a water jug. Sopping wet, Gaara tipped the jug over and watched it crash to the floor, shattering. Sakura stepped over the broken glass and picked up the soaking wet raccoon.

Shikamaru grabbed the dog's leash and yanked it away from Naruto. The dog barked and struggled but Shikamaru wasn't letting it go. "Naruto, out now!"

The cafe was mostly outdoor so it was easy for Naruto to escape. He jumped over the railing and ran off. Shikamaru would find him later. He handed the leash back to the owners and hurried away. Mortified, Sakura carried Gaara outside, trying not to show her face.

When they caught up to Naruto, Sakura clubbed him over the head. "What the hell?! That whole place was staring at us! Do you know how embarrassing-"

"Sorry!" Naruto snapped. "But the dog was going after Gaara and I had to do something!"

"Did you consider changing into human form and grabbing the leash like Shikamaru did?"

"Uh..."

"I didn't think so."

Shikamaru moaned. "Back to the forest," he groaned.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27:**

After the incident, the group tried to stay away from people as much as possible. The forest had ended some time ago so they would have to retrace their steps if they wanted to enter the forest again. Even Naruto was thinking it would be the best option. They would be putting innocent people in danger if they stayed near them for too long. Being in the forest away from people was for the best. Especially now that Gaara was part animal.

In the past hour, Gaara had changed back into human form but that didn't mean he was completely human. During that hour, he climbed trees, plucked berries off bushes and started digging through trash. "I can't help myself," Gaara said when Naruto pried an apple core from his hands.

Seeing Gaara dig through trash looking for food reminded Naruto of his kitsune friends in the mountain. It brought back fond memories but also made him feel sad. He missed them.

Nothing was being solved. Time was ticking by and no one was doing anything.

Naruto looked down at a spider scurrying by his foot and under a rock. He was reminded of the one he saw before and compared to himself and his friends. Running and hiding. Anything to keep safe.

Safe? Naruto clenched his fists at the thought. There was nothing safe about this. No matter where they went, people would be in danger. They were targets. They were just running and hiding. The threat was still out there and all they were doing was avoiding it.

"Is this it?" Naruto asked, lagging behind the other. "Is this all we're doing? Just avoiding the danger? We have to do something. We'll never get our villages back if we're on the run. We have to do something. We have to."

Shikamaru turned around, stopping. "I know that, Naruto."

"Then why aren't we doing something?"

"Because there's nothing we can do at this point."

"Yes, there is! We can go find Karada and stop him. If we capture him, we won't have to worry about him sneaking up on us and using that jutsu on you guys. We'll know where he is."

"Even if we succeeded in doing that, someone is bound to come rescue him. You saw what happened before when he fainted. A bunch of ninja from our village showed up to defend him. Now that he has two villages under his command, the threat is even greater. We can't take them all on."

"We can try!" Naruto was sick of running and hiding. Even his animal instincts were fed up. Now both sides were screaming for him to fight back. "I can use my shadow clones to match their numbers. Then we can-"

"But even if you did that, they're just clones. They'll vanish at the first hit. We're not up against just anybody. We're going up against ninja from the Leaf and Sand. They're strong. Most of them are even stronger than me," said Shikamaru. "Not to mention the fact that your clones will disappear if even a shred of you becomes foxy. You can make the strongest clones in the world and none of that will matter if they disappear the second you transform. It's happened before. Maintaining them is going to be an issue."

"I'm better at it! I can-"

"And what about us? What about Gaara? And how are we going to restrain Karada? I've already tried with my shadow. It's difficult. Naruto, I get what you're saying and I know where you're coming from. I feel the same. But we have to be smart about this. We could be walking into a trap or starting something we're not prepared for. Our friends aren't going to show us mercy or practice restraint. This is a huge issue. We have to think. We can't go rushing in for the sake of doing something. We need to plan and-"

"And what have you been doing?!" Naruto shouted. "Come up with a plan, genius! That's your job!"

"I've been trying!" Shikamaru snapped back. "But every plan I come up with has serious consequences. Someone could get hurt! With every plan, every possible outcome, there will have to be sacrifice. Charging in without thinking could get Sakura and I cursed or even worse, hit with that jutsu. Splitting up is a bad idea, too. We're hopelessly outnumbered, Naruto. We can't take them all on by ourselves, even if you do use your clones."

"The only reason we're outnumbered is because you're taking too long to come up with something! He's gathering an army and what are you doing? I thought you were a spy for a reason! What do you have that can help us?"

"Stop it, both of you!" Sakura shouted.

Naruto turned to her and snarled, showing his fangs. She flinched and Naruto froze. He looked down at his hands. His claws were out. He was so worked up, his fox features were coming out. He could have hurt her. He might have tried to scratch her or worse. Naruto forced himself to calm down.

"I- I'm sorry." Naruto looked away. Shikamaru was right. Going into battle like this was a poor idea. He could end up getting them killed if he didn't have better control.

Shikamaru changed the subject. "It's late. We should rest."

While they set up camp for the night, Naruto sat by himself, thinking. He knew Shikamaru was right. When he got worked up like that he couldn't always control himself. He had almost attacked Sakura in a blind fury. If he were to engage in a fight with the brainwashed ninja, he may have been unable to stop himself. In the heat of battle, he might have ended up killing his opponent. He couldn't risk such a thing. He had to be careful.

While everyone slept, Naruto stayed awaking, wondering what the right move was from this point. They couldn't go on like this. Something had to be done. Running and avoiding the danger wasn't going to solve the problem.

Naruto heard rustling and turned. Seki was walking towards him from behind a hill. They nuzzled each other in greeting. Naruto inhaled Seki's familiar scent and knew he was with a friend. "Where did you go?"

"I was seeing where the ninja were hiding. I found them. There's a huge crowd of them in the forest. One of them knows where you are. The one who can see through things."

"Neji."

"Yes. He was telling that Karada human where you were and wanted to know if they should bring the fight to you. Karada told them not to engage because you were going to come to them soon enough. Karada is expecting you to come. He says your impatience will get the best of you and you will be foolish enough to come to him."

Shikamaru was right. If they did go looking, they would end up walking into a trap.

"So everyone's there waiting to attack us..."

"Seems that way, Naruto. I still haven't found Kakashi so I have no idea if he's on their side or not. I don't know. I also can't find the remaining kitsune no matter where I look. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. We're all looking."

Seki looked around. "Where's your red-haired friend? The one I turned into a raccoon."

"Up there." Naruto pointed into the apple tree overhead. Gaara was asleep in the branches, still in human form. "Gaara seems to be acting more like an animal when he's a human instead of the other way around."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm not exactly sure what I did to him."

"He also sometimes forgets how to do human things and runs off. He said he tried to dive into a water jug to wash away his scent. It was pretty funny, actually."

Seki looked over at Shikamaru. "I need to speak with him in private. But I don't want to wake him up. Could you stand guard while I use my dream walking ability to communicate with him in his dreams?"

"Oh, right. A two-tailed fox can use that power. Sure. I'll keep watch."

Seki sat by Shikamaru's head and conjured up a flame that danced over Shikamaru's head. Seki closed his eyes and hung his head, slipping into Shikamaru's dream. Naruto watched, fascinated. He had never seen this done before.

While Seki was busy, Naruto started to wonder if he should go into the forest alone to confront Karada himself. He would leave Seki with his friends so they wouldn't be alone and would have protection. Naruto knew he couldn't take everyone on alone. Karada he could handle but just as Shikamaru thought, he was going to be heavily protected.

It wouldn't be right to leave his friends behind, even if Seki was there to watch over them. Gaara needed Naruto, not Seki. The whole idea seemed foolish now that he thought about it.

He had his friends with him for a reason. If they were going to attack, they would do it together.

* * *

The next morning, everyone sat down to breakfast by the edge of the forest. Everyone had their own lunch box to eat. Even Seki. Gaara ate his hunched over like a squirrel with a nut. He wasn't aware he was doing it until Sakura brought attention to it. Naruto finished his lunch box and searched in Sakura's bag for more. There was only one lunch box left. No wonder the bags felt lighter. Naruto finished the last of the food, his stomach satisfied.

Shikamaru and Seki glanced at each other throughout the meal, as if they were conversing through eye contact. Once the food was gone, they packed everything up and marched into the forest. Seki remained close to Shikamaru. Noticing this, Naruto wondered if they had made a plan together last night in Shikamaru's dream.

Naruto sniffed the air. He couldn't sense any ninja but he knew there was danger in the forest. Seki signaled him, telling him that this was the area he found the ninja last night.

"We have to be careful," said Naruto. "They could be anywhere here."

When Naruto looked back, Seki was gone. Even his scent had faded. Naruto looked at the others but they didn't seem to noticed. Except for Shikamaru who winked at him.

As they walked, Naruto's fur began to stand on end. Danger was close by. He could sense it.

"Found you!"

The group split away from each other as Kiba came down from one of the trees. He was alone.

"I knew you would be here. Typical for Naruto to be unable to stay put for too long. Moron."

Naruto shifted into his fox form, pinning his ears back with a hiss.

"Bring it!" Kiba taunted.

Shikamaru grabbed Kiba's arm. "I won't let you hurt Naruto."

Kiba spun his body into Shikamaru and forced him back. "There's going to be a fight, whether you like it or not. Postpone it all you like, it's gonna happen."

Naruto tried to intervene but someone else joined the fight from another tree. Kankuro came down with one of his puppets. Naruto growled at him.

"Kankuro!" Gaara called for his brother.

He puppet master smirked. "Since you got away last time, like a real coward, you get to see my encore performance. Lucky you."

Gaara scowled at the remark. He was no coward. He just didn't want to hurt his brother.

"Come on down!" Kankuro swung his puppet around and launched it at his brother. Gaara ducked and stepped aside.

Rather than use a jutsu, Gaara held up his hands in front of his chest, fingers curled. He was fighting like an animal. When the puppet came at him again, Gaara scratched at it with his hands.

"You're pathetic, Gaara!" Kankuro teased. He slammed the puppet into Gaara from the side and he went down. "See? What are you without your sand? Huh?!"

Gaara lay on his side in the dirt. Kankuro was right. He was much weaker like this. Not because he didn't have his sand but because of his curse. He wasn't thinking straight. He was fighting like an animal. Such a move would have been easily blocked or avoided if he had been thinking like a ninja. Gaara wasn't strong anymore. Not like this. If only he didn't have this curse.

"Gaara, get up!" Naruto shouted.

Gaara rolled to the side, avoiding the puppet. Gaara instantly became a raccoon and scampered up a tree.

Kankuro gawked from the ground. "When the hell have you been able to do that?!" Recovering from his shock, Kankuro sent his puppet into the tree to flush out Gaara.

Naruto ran up to Kankuro and bit his ankle. Kankuro cried out in pain and kicked out at Naruto. He stomped on his tail and held him in place. As he brought his puppet around to attack, Gaara jumped down from the branches and landed on Kankuro's head. He covered Kankuro's eyes with his paws and held on as his brother stumbled around blindly.

Out of control, he swung his hands around. Still controlling the puppet, he slammed it into Kiba from behind.

"Watch it!" Kiba shouted.

Naruto conjured up some illusions to confused them but Kiba knew they were fakes.

"I told you before, you idiot. I can smell you. I know these things aren't real so quit trying."

Kankuro pulled Gaara off by his tail and threw him. "Watch your back, loser!" he called to Kiba. He brought his puppet around and used the chakra strings to wrap up Shikamaru. Now he couldn't move.

"Ha, this is too easy." Kiba pulled out a kunai. "I was hoping for more of a fight. But we win. No surprises there."

Shikamaru grinned. Suddenly a fox leapt out of his chest and into Kiba's face. Seki had been possessing Shikamaru the entire time. Taken by surprise, Kiba dropped his weapon and tried to pry Seki off his face.

"Get it off! Get it off!"

Shikamaru, now in control of his own body, stretched his shadow out and took over Kankuro's. The chakra strings went slack and the puppet fell to the ground. "Don't worry. I don't want a long fight." Shikamaru started doing backflips and Kankuro's body did the same.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kankuro wondered aloud.

"Just putting some distance between us. And this way, you can't use your hands to attack me. Not if you're busy doing backflips." Shikamaru flipped again.

"This is so stup-"

THUNK!

Kankuro's head slammed into a tree trunk behind him, knocking him out.

Shikamaru ended the jutsu. "I guess that wasn't completely true. I was actually trying to do that, since you didn't noticed the trees behind you and flipping backwards like that is a bit disorientating. I figured you wouldn't notice until it was too late."

Naruto shifted back into human form. "That was great, Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru looked around for Sakura. She was carrying Gaara in her arms and running deeper into the forest. "Seki, let's go!" Shikamaru called and ran after her. Naruto followed and so did Seki after pushing Kiba down.

"Is the plan just to knock everyone out who comes after us?" Naruto asked. "That could take forever and it's not the best plan in the world."

"Actually no. Though it would even the odds just a little," said Shikamaru. "I have another plan. But it's only going to work on the other ninja. Not Karada. But if we can stop him..."

Naruto had an idea. "In that case, can I make a suggestion? I think it will work."

* * *

Within a matter of minutes, the forest had become a battlefield. Many ninja came their way and they had to fight their way out. Karada was their prize. Naruto thought about what the file had said about using the jutsu to eliminate emotional conflict in missions, including hostage situations. Emotions got in the way when it came to making an impossible choice. Under the jutsu's influence, the ninja no longer had any attachments to anyone other than Karada. They remained loyal only to him and him alone. If that were the case, then in theory, if Karada were to be taken hostage, then it would become an impossible choice. No one else would make a good hostage. Any other ninja would be left behind, but Karada...

It was their only shot and bringing this battle to a standstill.

"There you are, Naruto," came Karada's voice.

Naruto stopped and looked up, glaring. Karada was standing over him wearing the same smirk as before. Naruto showed his teeth but Karada wasn't intimidated.

"I knew you would come. Typical. You want to save your dear friends. There's no way you would ever leave them behind. Not even to save yourself. That is the downfall of having personal feelings for others. Pathetic."

"I'm not going to let you hurt any of my friends! Just leave them alone."

"Why would I do that after all my hard work?" Karada chuckled to himself. "Oh, Naruto. You are so simple. The world doesn't work the way you want it to. The sooner you figure that out, the better."

Karada sent his cloth arm forward. It split the ground at Naruto's feet. He wobbled but remained standing.

"Go ahead. Fight me," Karada taunted. "Oh, that's right. You won't. Not with this around my neck." Karada held up the amulet. The sunlight caught the purple jewel, making it glint and sparkle. "Which of your precious friends could it be? If you break it, you'll know because it will be the one who didn't come home! Hahaha!"

"Shut up!" Naruto snapped. "This is between you and me! Stop hiding behind my friends!"

"Are you going to make me?" Karada sent another cloth tentacle in his direction. Naruto jumped back to avoid getting hit. The cloth snaked after him but Naruto managed to avoid getting hit. Unfortunately, in retreat, he couldn't fight back. He was unable to land a single blow on Karada and the more he moved away from the cloth, the further away from Karada he got.

"I'll get him!" yelled Shikamaru from behind. "Shadow-"

Another cloth arm slithered over and wrapped around Shikamaru's body before he could cast the jutsu. It lifted Shikamaru off the ground and close to Karada.

"No!" Naruto yelled.

"Too late," Karada gloated. "You really think I'm fool enough to fall for your tricks? I know you have more people with you. Including him." He turned to Shikamaru. "And if that shadow thing didn't work the first time, what makes you think it will work this time? I'm stronger than you give me credit for."

"Put me down now!" Shikamaru struggled.

Karada grinned, looking him over. "You're a smart ninja. Very smart. And one of the few friends Naruto has left. I bet I could have some fun with you on my side. That should be fun." He turned to look at Naruto. "Right, Naruto? Doesn't that sound fun?"

"No, don't!" Naruto cried. "Leave him alone!"

Still smiling, Karada tightened his hold on Shikamaru. "I think I'll have him obey me. What do you think, Naruto?"

"Don't do it!" Naruto begged. "Please!"

Karada stroked Shikamaru's cheek. "How about it? Will you look to me from this moment on? You are now loyal to me."

Shikamaru flinched, leaning away from his touch.

"Obey me. You will now answer to me alone." Karada watched Shikamaru for signs that he had seen in other ninja. He wasn't displaying them. "What is going on? I said, you will answer to me from this moment forward."

Shikamaru leaned away.

Karada frowned. "I said you will-"

Shikamaru bit Karada's hand.

"Ouch!" Karada pulled away but that only made the wound worse. Shikamaru squeezed his jaws closer together, drawing blood. "Get off me! Let go!" Karada punched him in the face and Shikamaru opened his mouth.

Shikamaru spat blood into Karada's face. "Shikamaru, get out of here!" he shouted.

"Wait. Shika..?" Karada turned back and saw Naruto running into the forest. "Then..."

Karada looked back and saw Naruto in his coils.

"That's why my jutsu didn't work!" Karada shrieked. "You're Naruto! And the one who ran off was the real Shikamaru."

"Yup. Fooled you." Naruto straightened his legs and kicked Karada in the stomach. Karada stumbled back. Naruto grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled himself close. The cloth around his waist kept him from getting too close. Now Naruto and the cloth were pulling Karada down. Karada had no choice but to release his grasp around Naruto otherwise they would both go flying. As soon as he was released, Naruto wrapped his legs around Karada's arms to prevent him from lifting them up to grab him or the necklace. Naruto then reached forward and grabbed the amulet.

As soon as he tried to pull it off from around his neck, Karada turned his head to one side and bit down on the chain. Naruto stopped pulling. If anything happened to the necklace, including the chain, the person would die. Naruto couldn't remove it without causing them damage. Even if Karada couldn't use it as a shield, he still found a way to use it against Naruto.

"Take your hands off or they're a goner."

Naruto had to obey. As soon as his hand was off the amulet, the cloth wrapped around Naruto's head and yanked him backwards. His legs still wrapped around Karada's chest, Karada also went flying. He was pulled off his feet by his own cloth and fell into Naruto's lap.

Naruto raised his fist to punch him but Karada held up the necklace again. He couldn't do it. The cloth grabbed Naruto from behind and pulled him away. Naruto was thrown into a tree and pummeled with a cloth hammer.

Behind the trees, Sakura went over to Shikamaru, Gaara still in her arms. "Did it work? How did Naruto's plan go?"

"He managed to get close enough to Karada with him thinking he was me," Shikamaru said. "I was about to use my jutsu to stop him but then Karada reminded me that it didn't work the last time. And now that he was onto me since his jutsu didn't work on Naruto, I had to get out of there fast."

"Did you see how he uses the jutsu?" she asked him. That was part of the ruse. They wanted to see how Karada performed the jutsu on someone so they would know what to watch out for and avoid.

"It's still unclear. It might be the cloth he's wearing but I can't be sure."

"Is Naruto going to be ok?" Gaara asked.

"You know how strong Naruto is. Why worry?"

Gaara looked away, ashamed that he had even a trace of doubt. "It's not that I don't believe in him. I do. But the animal part of me is worried. Even I can sense just how strong the enemy is."

"Remember, Karada is under a curse. I don't think he's in control of his actions."

Gaara sniffed the air. "Where's Seki now?"

"He went on ahead to deal with some of the other ninja. He's buying us time."

Buying time was one way of putting it. Deeper into the forest, Seki had conjured up a fake area which left the ninja wandering in it confused. They wandered in circles, thinking they were going straight. The landscape would change again, large brick walls cutting off their path and huge holes in the ground they could fall into. Even when they suspected it was a trick, they couldn't find a way around it. Even the brick walls felt real.

Seki was just one fox, but as a two-tails, his power was stronger than as a fox with a single tail. His illusions were very convincing, even alone. He couldn't maintain it for long. He would have to go back to help the others soon. He knew they couldn't do it alone.

* * *

Naruto was thrown into the ground repeatedly. Karada wouldn't let him go. Every time Naruto tried to get up, he would slam him back down. Karada lifted Naruto up with one of his cloths and held him still while two others beat him like a pair of fists. Naruto's body was held in place by the cloth so he couldn't absorb the blows by moving backwards, causing him more damage. Being hit out of the air was less damaging than being hit while pressed into the ground. It was basically the same thing in this situation.

"Had enough yet?!" Karada shouted over each blow. Naruto cried out in pain but that only made Karada's smile grow. "You should just give up! It's so much easier! Leave them be. Run off and save yourself the pain!"

"It's more painful for me to be alone!" Naruto screamed. "There's no way I'm abandoning them!"

"Then suffer!"

The two cloths stopped beating him and wrapped around Naruto's arms instead. They wrapped tightly around both arms and pulled in opposite directions. Naruto pulled back but the cloths were too strong. His bones were starting to crack. He started screaming. He was going to be pulled apart.

"Naruto!" Gaara pushed his way out of Sakura's grasp and ran towards Karada. He had to help. Even if he didn't have his sand, he had to do something to save his friend. He ran up the cloth holding Naruto's right arm and started scratching it. He bit the cloth, desperate to free him. When that didn't work, he went straight for the source. He ran up the cloth appendage and onto Karada's shoulder. He started scratching his face with both paws.

Karada yelped and twisted away. The cloth around Naruto loosened. Naruto pulled one arm free and shrank into fox form. His smaller size allowed him to slip out of the cloth and away from danger.

"Get off me!" A cloth arm swatted Gaara away and another scooped him up and started squeezing. It was like being in a cloth Sand Coffin attack. "I'll kill you! Now die!"

Gaara choked, the cloth tightening around his tiny body.

"I'll squeeze you until you pop!"

Gaara squeaked, shutting his eyes tight. He felt like he was about to burst. Then the cloth released him and he fell, gasping for air. Naruto was on top of Karada, scratching his back. Karada used all four of his cloth arms to throw Naruto off. Gaara tried to move but his body wasn't working. He must have taken some damage in that cloth vice.

Sakura rushed from her hiding place and snatched him up, running off as soon as he was in her arms. She circled back and passed him off to Shikamaru. "Take Gaara and run for it. I'll stay here with Naruto in case he needs help."

"But the jutsu will effect you," squeaked Gaara. "It won't work on me."

"But you're hurt. Please just go with Shikamaru. Get out of here. Both of you."

Gaara scowled but not at her. He was angry with himself. He was so weak like this. If only he were in his normal state, none of this would be happening. There would be no struggle. This battle could easily be won. He was confident he could do it. As a raccoon, what good was he? He was utterly useless. He was about as intimidating as a teddy bear.

"Be careful, Sakura," Shikamaru told her and ran.

Gaara lay in his arms, unable to even make a fist in anger. "Is there anything I can do in this fight?"

"You saved Naruto. That's enough for now."

"I have to get my village back. Can't I even do that much?"

Shikamaru didn't know what to tell him. "We'll find a way. Don't worry."

Gaara shut his eyes tight. "I've never felt so weak before in my life," he said through his clenched teeth. "I feel so useless."

"You're not. You just saved Naruto. Stop worrying so much."

No matter how much Shikamaru told him not to worry, he did anyway. He wanted to be of more help than this. Instead, he felt like a burden. For the first time ever, Gaara of the Sand was weak. He was weak and ashamed of it.

* * *

Karada and Naruto parted from each other. Karada had tiny scratches on his forehead and face from Gaara's attack. The amulet dangled teasingly around his neck as he hunched over panting. Naruto was back in human form, panting and trying to stand on his two human legs. His body was sore and ached and bled.

Catching his breath, Karada stood up straight and smirked. "All for your friends, huh?" he said knowingly. "I see how it is. Even if you get beaten within an inch of your life, you will continue to fight for them. Is that it?"

"That's right. I will never give up. It's not in me," said Naruto. "I will protect my friends. They mean everything to me."

"Well, then... What do you say we have a little fun?" Karada whistled.

Someone came from the forest and landed in front of Karada on bended knee. He slowly stood up and faced Naruto, his face showing no emotion.

Naruto's heart sank. "Sai..." He knew what was about to happen.

"All for your friends, huh?" Karada laughed. "All to protect them, huh? Then how do you feel about fighting them?"

Naruto turned his head from side to side. "Don't..."

"Sai," Karada said in an authoritative tone. "Hear my command. Kill Naruto Uzumaki."

Nodding his head once in understanding, Sai removed the blade from his back with one hand. "Yes, sir."

* * *

Oh, snap.

Please review! ^-^


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28:**

Naruto and Sai faced each other, one holding a weapon and one without. One was ready to fight and the other searched for a way out.

Sai bent his knees and dashed forward.

"Sai, don't!" Naruto drew a kunai to block his blade. The two clanged together, sending sparks flying before their eyes. Sai pushed Naruto back with just the force of his arm. Naruto wouldn't yield. With his other hand, Sai grabbed a fistful of Naruto's hair and pulled him closer to the blade. Naruto pushed back. "Sai!"

He managed to force themselves apart, but Sai came back swinging. Their blades clanged together again. Sai kicked Naruto's leg and grabbed the front of Naruto's jacket, forcing him to the ground. The tip of Sai's blade pierced Naruto's shoulder.

Sakura gasped, watching from her hiding place. The only thing preventing her from rushing out there to help him was Karada standing between her and her friends.

Karada was smirking, enjoying the fight. "Don't kill him too quickly now, Sai. I want to savor this."

Sai twisted the blade, blood spurting from the wound. Naruto cried out and kicked his legs. One of his legs found Sai and pushed him back. Naruto got on top of him and held him down.

"Sai! Wake up!" he shouted in his face. "It's me! Naruto! You're hurting your friends! Snap out of it!"

"You don't have to shout," Karada told him. "He can hear you. He just doesn't care. Haven't you figured it out by now? What does it take? I thought it would be clear to you by this point."

Sai rolled over, taking Naruto with him. He sat on top of Naruto and tried to press the blade into Naruto's chest. Naruto couldn't avoid the blade from this angle and he had dropped his kunai. He pushed against Sai's hands, trying to keep the blade from coming any closer. Sai put his hand on top of the other and pressed down. Naruto tried to turn the blade to one side but it wasn't working. The tip was inching closer and closer.

"That's it, Sai," Karada breathed. "That's it. Just a little more."

Naruto took one hand off Sai's to block the blade's tip. The blade sank into Naruto's palm and out the other side. He screamed and pulled his hand away. It was the only way to get the blade away from him and keep it from going into his chest.

He curled his fingers into a fist and kept the blade where it was. Sai couldn't pull it free now. Then Naruto used his other hand to punch Sai in the face. Sai fell to one side but rolled onto his feet and stood for another attack. Naruto pulled the blade from his hand and kept it from Sai's reach.

"I've taken a liking to Sai," said Karada. "We actually have a lot in common. We were even under Danzo for a time. He was with him longer than I was but that's still something. We were both trained in ANBU. I must say, I think that's why this jutsu really clicks for him. It's something he understands quite well. We were taught certain things from a young age. We were even taught the proper way to be a ninja who wouldn't falter. How emotions got in the way and must be done away with to ensure a successful mission. We were even told the same thing under Danzo. How for a ninja, there is only... What, Sai?"

"There is only the mission," Sai answered.

"That's right. Very good, Sai. And what is your mission now?"

"To kill Naruto Uzumaki."

"Correct. Glad you remember what I told you."

"I am also not to kill him too quickly because you want to savor it," Sai went on.

"Good. That's very good." Karada turned to Naruto. "You see? A model ninja. This is what we are all supposed to be. No connections. No emotions. Only the task at hand. There is no conflict of emotions or anything to stand in the way. Sai knows what needs to be done and he will do it as he was instructed. He doesn't see you as a friend. Only as a target. Just like everyone else. You have a name and a history but personally, you mean nothing to him. Just a target. Something to be dealt with. You're no different from a photo in a bingo book. A target. Is that clear to you now, Naruto? Do you finally get it?"

Naruto stood shakily and pressed a hand to his bleeding shoulder. "Yeah, I get it. I understand what you're saying. I hear you." He glared at Karada. "But I don't buy it."

Karada frowned. "What is so hard to understand about this? You are a name and face to him. He knows your background, but there is no emotion behind any of it. You are just like a target in a bingo book. You see them, you know their names and what they've done and what they can do, but there is no feeling behind it. How can I spell it out for you? I thought I made it perfectly clear to you. So what is your problem? Why are you so dense about this?"

"I'm not dense," said Naruto. "I know what you're saying. I hear you. I'm not stupid. I just don't believe it."

"You don't. Then how about now?" Karada snapped his fingers and Sai ran forward and punched Naruto in the stomach so hard he went down gasping for breath. From there, Sai kicked him in the face. Naruto fell onto his back and lay there moaning. "Get it now?"

Naruto rolled onto his shoulder and sat up. His body was shaking.

Sai watched with a quiet indifference.

"He, like the rest of your friends, remain loyal to me and me alone. Sai doesn't care. He has no feelings. I've severed the bond. My jutsu takes it away. All bonds."

"Heheh..." Naruto struggled to his feet. "You just contradicted yourself."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Naruto looked into Karada's eyes. "If Sai is loyal to you, then he has feelings. You couldn't have severed the bond, because he has one with you. If he is loyal to anyone, he must have a bond with them. Otherwise, he wouldn't be loyal. And another thing..." Naruto stood confidently, the shaking in his limbs stopping. "Being loyal is an emotion. If he's loyal to you, then he has feelings towards you. What makes someone loyal is a bond. You can't be loyal or have a bond without feelings!"

Karada looked confused.

"Don't you get it? That's why I don't believe you when you say that your jutsu takes away bonds. It's not possible. Bonds run deep. They can't be that easily severed. Even remembering the history and past between two people forms a bond. There's no way there is no emotion behind any of it. It's not possible."

For a while, Karada said nothing. It was impossible to read his expression.

Sai stood, awaiting orders.

Then Karada frowned. "If that's how you think, then let's put it to the test. Apparently, you haven't learned your lesson the first time."

He snapped his fingers and Sai attacked.

"It doesn't matter what you think," said Karada. "Or technicalities. The fact of the matter is that Sai no longer cares about you or anyone else. There is only the mission. Say it, Sai!"

"There is only the mission," he repeated obediently.

"Good. Now kill him. Kill Naruto. But make him suffer."

"Yes, sir."

Naruto refused to believe it. The very fact that Sai was loyal to Karada meant that he had a trace of emotion in him. Karada said that his jutsu severed bonds, but if that were the case then Sai wouldn't be loyal to him or anyone for that matter. That alone gave Naruto hope.

To him, it meant that the bond wasn't severed. Just forgotten. Or twisted.

Sai pressed Naruto into a tree trunk and plunged a kunai towards Naruto's neck. Naruto moved away, letting the kunai sink into the tree and twisted from Sai's grip. They chased each other around the trees and back to where their fight began.

"I know you know me, Sai. I know you do. You need to wake up."

Sai threw a kunai at Naruto. It stabbed him in the back between his shoulder blades. Naruto staggered and Sai kicked him. A perfectly placed kick to the handle of the kunai sent it in deeper and Naruto fell to one knee.

"You're still my friend, Sai. I know it. A bond can't be severed that easily. There's just no way. I need you to know that I'm your friend, too."

Sai pulled out a scroll and scribbled a drawing which soon came to life and floated off the page. Naruto was trampled by a tiger and bitten. Naruto defeated the ink tiger and faced Sai again. Another drawing came at him which he also defeated.

"Please, Sai! Listen to me."

Sai started to draw something else but Naruto sliced the scroll with his claws. Sai threw the scroll to the ground and took out two kunai, one in each hand.

"I know you're in there. The bond is there! You just have to remember it. Is that what Karada did to you? Did he make you forget? Did he hide it from you? You can recover it. I know you can. Come on, Sai!"

Sai kicked Naruto in the stomach and pushed him down. Naruto sprang up again and pleaded for him to listen. Ignoring him, Sai took swings at Naruto's face. Even if he missed, the tip of the kunai would scratch Naruto's cheek.

"Come back, Sai! Please!"

He punched Naruto in the mouth. When he took another jab, Naruto stopped Sai's fist with his bleeding hand. Taking the punch to his wounded palm stung but Naruto could handle the pain. Sai tried to hit Naruto using his other hand, but Naruto blocked this one as well. They stood close together, their hands tangled together.

"The bond isn't severed, Sai. I know you still have it. You know who I am. That's enough to know it's still there."

Sai looked into Naruto's eyes as he pushed against him, a desire to win the fight burning in his eyes. His sole purpose was to carrying out Karada's orders. He was told to kill Naruto so that's what he would do.

"Remember when we were first placed together in the same team? Remember that? How I was pissed off and couldn't accept you. I thought you were a real jerk. But I still watched your back! You were still my teammate!"

Sai pushed so hard against Naruto, his feet were starting to slide backwards, leaving shallow groves in the soil.

"You showed me your picture book!" Naruto shouted. "You showed it to me. You said you wanted to show it to your brother. The finished book. You drew it in front of me when you remembered. You remembered the drawing because you remembered the bond you had with him. It wasn't gone. Just pushed way down inside of you, but it was always there."

Sai kept pushing, but as their eyes locked, Naruto noticed a tiny change. Just a small flash, almost unnoticeable, but he saw it.

"You're an artist, Sai. Doesn't that mean you're sensitive or something? You have passion! That kind of person could never be without a bond! It could never be severed in someone like you. That drawing you showed me was from your heart! There's no way you could have made it and not have felt something!"

Sai's hands were starting to shake. He pulled away and tried to stab Naruto with a downward swing. Naruto blocked Sai's attack, grabbing his wrist. The kunai shook in his grasp. He pushed his hand down, trying to stab Naruto from a higher angle.

"You said you wanted to understand bonds, Sai. You told me that. You said you wanted to understand them better. You wanted to learn. That means you care. You went to the library and looked at books and studied. You tried to give us all nicknames to make it easier to get closer to us. You wanted to get closer. You care about us. We have a bond, Sai! And you know it! You felt it. Feel it again!"

Sai's eyes changed again. For a split second, it looked like something had sparked behind those eyes in his brain. He was getting to him. He had to push more.

"Come on, Sai. Fight it. I know this isn't how you want to be. You don't want to hurt us. You don't want to hurt your friends." Naruto tightened his hold on Sai's wrist. "You wanted to understand bonds! That means you care! I know you do. Why else would you go through so much trouble to get closer to us? You want to be a part of that bond. You want to be close to people. I saw you smile. A sincere, from the heart smile. You're happy when you're with friends. You wanted to stay with us. We have a bond together."

Sai's face twitched.

"You worried about me. You came to check on me. You tried to protect me." Naruto remembered the moment leading up to Sai getting hit by the jutsu. "You pushed me out of the way when danger came. You let Karada take you instead of me. You tried to protect me. I know you care. We're in your heart. We're a part of your soul. Such a bond is stronger than any jutsu. Bonds are powerful, Sai. Surely you know that much by now."

Sai frowned, pushing hard against Naruto's grasp. He was still fighting.

"I don't want to hurt you, Sai," Naruto said gently. "I know deep down inside, you don't want to hurt us either. When you were given that first order, you were begging us to run away from you. You didn't want to hurt us. You were warning us. Remember that? You don't want to hurt your friends."

Sai's hands shook.

"We're your friends, Sai. Come back to us. Please."

Sai frowned, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Anyone with a heart like yours would have a strong bond. Especially when you went through so much trouble to understand them. You wanted to have a bond with us. You always tried your hardest." Naruto took a step closer. "There's no way a bond like that can be severed. No way. We're your friends. And you know that. In your heart, you know. I know you understand. You even went against your own mission to help us. You can do it again. I know you can."

Sai shut his eyes tight and shook his head. He opened his eyes again and met Naruto's.

"Your friends need you, Sai. You will always be there for us. We have a strong bond."

Sai grunted and shook his head again.

"It's still there. It is. I know it is."

The kunai started to inch closer to Naruto's body. Naruto was loosening his grip. Sai grunted and shut his eyes tight.

"Come on, Sai... Come on. You can do it."

Sai growled and pushed against him.

When Sakura saw this, she began to lose hope that Naruto's words had any effect on him. Sai was still trying to hurt Naruto.

"Sai..." Naruto pleaded with him. "I know this isn't how you want to be. This isn't you. You wanted to understand bonds better so you wouldn't have to do things like this anymore. Taking orders from someone else. Making you do something you know in your heart isn't right." Naruto clenched Sai's wrist tightly. "You didn't want to fight your brother... And you don't want to fight me."

Sai paused. He remembered that feeling. Knowing he had to fight his brother brought him pure uncertainty. He dreaded that day. He didn't want to fight him. He wanted to show him the book. His brother always encouraged him. When he complimented his art, it brought Sai such happiness. Fighting him to the death seemed so... wrong. His heart wasn't in it. Then his brother died and he felt...

The compliments stopped. He wasn't there anymore. His voice was gone. Yet, he felt something. Inside, he felt something he couldn't quite understand. He missed his brother. He was sad that he was gone.

Why did he feel that way? There was something important... When he met Naruto, it sparked something inside him that felt similar.

Someone he wanted to protect. To be with. Happy to know. Made him happy.

He wanted to look after him and trust that Naruto would do the same. Naruto cared about him. He protected him. When he was hurt and other ninja would have left him behind, Naruto went back to save him. A feeling compelling him to make sure he was doing alright. To come to his rescue if he should need it. To help him when he needed it.

Was that what it meant to have a... bond?

Sai shut his eyes tight again and lowered his head. He opened his eyes, blinking. He lifted his head and looked at Naruto's face. Naruto looked into his eyes.

Eyes that saw him as a target. As someone he knew. Sai squinted for a moment then opened his eyes fully. They stared at each other.

Then there was a change. Sai's eyes lit up with recognition. Not as some face from a bingo book he had to eliminate, but as someone he knew. Someone he cared about.

"Naruto?"

Naruto smiled. "Yeah."

Sai looked surprised and confused at first. Then his lips started to curl into a smile. He was happy to see him. He recognized him as a friend. His friend.

Sai straightened up, still smiling. He opened his mouth to say something, then his eyes drifted to the kunai in his hand. Sai's smile started to disappear. He saw Naruto holding onto his wrist, preventing the kunai from stabbing him. Though Naruto quickly removed his hand, Sai knew what was going on.

"Was I..?" Sai looked at his hand. "I was... What was I thinking? Why didn't I stop?"

Naruto touched Sai's hand. "It's not your fault."

Sai looked hurt. He knew he had just tried to attack his friends. He knew he was about to kill Naruto. He remembered doing it. He was aware of everything he was doing. Why he hadn't stopped was what he couldn't figure out.

Then a look of anger crossed Sai's face and he turned around. "You..." Sai looked at Karada. "It was you! You made me do all this."

The smug look on Karada's face was gone. He looked shocked. He looked from Sai to Naruto, his lips trembling. "That's... impossible... How...? How did you do that?"

"A bond isn't that easily severed," answered Naruto. "It's strong. And the bond I have with my friends is the one thing I can always rely on. I believe in them. And I don't believe that a jutsu can destroy that. Not even yours."

Karada looked from Naruto to Sai. He was glaring at him, holding the kunai firmly. Sai wasn't going to obey him anymore. He was loyal to his friends, not Karada.

"That's the thing about a bond, Karada," Naruto said. "You can't force it on someone. A connection between people happens naturally. It can't be forced. That's the difference between you and my friends. Sai knows me and has a bond with me. He's loyal to his friends because of the bond he shares with them and all the feelings that go with it. You're just making them follow you though there's no connection. They don't even know why they're loyal to you. Sai knows why he's loyal to us. Do you get it now?"

Karada swallowed. He turned his gaze back to Naruto with a scowl. "I may have lost Sai... but I still have an army." Karada's cloth lifted him off the ground like an extension of his legs. "As I've said before, emotions and personal bonds just get in the way. If I attack you directly, Sai will rush to protect you. I'm certain of that. It makes things very predictable. As long as you have friends who will stand by you, they will be in danger. It will be a repeat of the first time when Sai pushed you out of the way and got hit instead. But I suppose you don't mind that."

He was right. If Naruto was in danger, his friends would try to protect him. Sai would push him out of the way and take the hit himself just as before. Naruto didn't want to risk his friends. Karada would try to use the same jutsu again on Sai if given the chance. Naruto could try to break it again but it was hard enough to do the first time. It might not work a second.

"Go on," Karada taunted. "Fight me."

The cloth limbs waved and flicked the air like snake tongues. The amulet dangled around Karada's neck, catching light off the sun on its smooth purple surface.

Fighting him wouldn't be easy.

"I'll help you," said Sai. He stood beside Naruto confidently. "You don't have to do this alone. A friend will always be there to help another, no matter the danger. At least that's what I've read."

Instead of being annoyed, Naruto started to laugh. Hearing Sai say such a thing, referring to reading material, assured Naruto that the person standing beside him was indeed his friend.

"Good to have you back, Sai."

* * *

Yay!

Please review! ^-^


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29:**

Wasting no time, Karada flung one of his cloths at them, smashing into the ground. Sai and Naruto jumped aside and attacked from either side. Sai threw his kunai at Karada while Naruto tried to punch him from the other side. Two cloths rose up and blocked at the same time and a third one slapped Naruto out of the air.

"Pathetic. And you call yourself ninja. I've seen better attacks by children."

Sai took another scroll from his bag and scribbled on the blank surface. "Super Beast Scroll!" Five tigers leaped from the page and rushed at Karada. His cloth limbs easily took down the beasts and went after Sai. Naruto stepped in front of the attack and tried to catch the cloth in his hands. It was so much stronger than he was. The cloth lifted him off the ground and threw him into the air.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Multiple clones appeared and rained down from above. They tried to weigh down the cloth limbs with their bodies but it was too strong. Even with dozens of clones on one cloth, it easily flicked them off and sent them away. Naruto tried more clones but this time they didn't even make it to Karada's body. Naruto was so worked up, his fox ears popped out and ended the jutsu.

"Weakling!" Karada slammed Naruto into a tree with his cloth and pressed him against the trunk. "Try all the tricks you like, all the clones you need, it won't matter. I will always win. You may have been able to fool me a few times in the past but I know what to expect from you. And so do your friends."

The cloth tightened around Naruto, squeezing the air from his lungs.

"Just think. As you're fighting me, what are your friends doing to the few comrades you have left? They know what to expect from you. They've fought alongside you, know your tricks. They know exactly how to combat against such things, making them a force to be reckoned with. It will not be an easy match. They know you."

Karada was right. They did know what to expect from the ninja who weren't under the jutsu. They knew their weak spots. The only difference was that his friends wouldn't stop unlike the ones free from the jutsu. One side would show mercy and the other would not. There were also more of them than there were on Naruto's side.

While he was stuck fighting Karada, Shikamaru and Gaara were on their own, somewhere out there among the army of brainwashed ninja. Even if he did win against Karada, he still had to face an army at some point. So did everyone else. He should worry about the army first and worry about Karada later once the odds were evened, even in the slightest. That way he wouldn't have to worry about his friends getting hurt while he faced off against Karada.

Sai used another ink drawing to combat Karada in an attempt to free Naruto. A giant octopus tried to pull the cloth away from Naruto and at the same time tried to tie up his other cloth limbs. Karada used them to attack the ink beast and destroyed it. The beast's job was already done. Naruto shifted into fox form and ran into the forest. Sai saw that Naruto was in retreat and followed his example, running into the forest as well. He picked up his fallen blade and disappeared. Sakura sneaked away to meet up with them, hoping Naruto had another plan.

* * *

Shikamaru peered around trees and over bushes, watching out for any ninja who may wish to attack. Gaara sniffed the air, sensing those nearby. He gave Shikamaru warning so they could avoid a fight. However, soon they found themselves cornered. The ninja army had gathered in one spot. There was nowhere left to run. Hiding would only buy them so much time. Shikamaru crouched at the base of a crocked tree surrounded by thick bushes and tall grass. It was an obvious hiding place. Someone was bound to look there.

"I smell Naruto," Gaara warned.

Shikamaru was happy to hear this. He wanted to have Naruto nearby to help in the fight. The more they had, the better the odds.

Naruto hurried over and sat beside Shikamaru. Sakura appeared next followed closely by Sai. Shikamaru started to stand to defend himself.

"It's ok," said Sakura. "Naruto broke the jutsu so Sai's back to normal."

"Whatever normal is for Sai at least," Naruto added with a grin.

"He broke the jutsu?!" Shikamaru gasped. "How?"

"Begged and pleaded."

"It was more than that!" Naruto barked. "I reasoned with him and appealed to the bond we share. It was hard to do but I managed to get through to him."

"Do you think you can do that to the rest of them?" Gaara asked.

Naruto wasn't sure. "I could give it a shot... But when I did it with Sai, he was alone. And it was still hard to do."

"Doing it to everyone might not work. If he has to do it individually, it will take way too long," said Shikamaru. "It might not work anyway. If he appealed to Sai's bond, then it's going to be different for everyone else. He might not be able to get through to other people in the same way."

The brush parted and Seki appeared beside them. "More ninja are heading your way. I've held a bunch off as long as I could."

"Now what?"

Gaara had a thought. "If numbers are the main issue, why not use that curse power you have to turn them into objects so they can't fight?"

"Too risky," said Shikamaru. "I thought of that but it's too dangerous to attempt. If they're an object, they're totally helpless. Even a simple scratch could kill them. Someone could step on them... A number of things could happen. Even turning them into animals would be an issue. It's unpredictable. Besides, we have no idea how being cursed would effect the jutsu. That's also why we're advising the kitsune not to use possession on those effected."

Gaara looked down. "Sorry I'm not of better use like this. I could probably help you out if I were my normal self."

"Should I remove the curse?" Seki asked.

"Ye-"

"No!" Shikamaru interrupted. "With Karada so close, this could be exactly what he wanted. If the curse is removed now, Karada could swoop in and use his jutsu to recruit Gaara. Then we'll be in real trouble. He could have been hoping on that from the start. I'm not willing to take that chance."

Sakura looked at Sai. "You know what? Now that Sai's on our side again, maybe he knows what Karada is planning."

"Good thinking. If he remembers what went on during that time," said Shikamaru. "He might also be able to tell us about the jutsu so we know what to avoid. How the jutsu works, how you get effected."

Sai nodded. "I do remember everything that happened while I was under the jutsu. I was aware of everything I was doing. Though I was loyal to Karada, he wasn't controlling me. The actions I took were my own. He wasn't controlling my mind or anything. I just felt compelled to serve him. It's hard to explain. Though I knew who I was attacking, I couldn't comprehend that it might have been wrong. I couldn't even conceive that attacking Naruto was a bad thing. I was just following orders."

"Did you know he was your friend?"

Sai frowned in thought. "Not really. I felt nothing. I didn't even see a friend or someone I liked when I was attacking. Just a target that I needed to strike. Even the people I went after. Morally, it was wrong, but I couldn't comprehend that. I just attacked because I was ordered to do it. I couldn't see them as anything other than a target."

"What about the jutsu. Do you know how it works? Does he have to touch you to use it?"

"I don't know. I remember everything I did while under its influence but I don't know how it effected me."

Shikamaru sighed. "That's ok. I guess we'll just have to do what we've been doing and avoid the guy."

"What about everyone else? We can't avoid them."

"Sakura's right. There's too many."

Naruto could sense the ninja getting closer by the second. He had already decided to help his friends fight before moving on to Karada. He didn't know if that was the smartest choice but he felt it was the right one. Karada was going to use them as a shield anyway.

"We can't run and hide anymore," he said to them. "It's not just because I'm fed up with it. We just can't do it anymore. The longer the wait and avoid, the worse the situation gets. We have to do something before it gets any worse. I say we fight. We don't run from a fight when it comes to fighting other ninja. I know these guys are our friends, but we had to fight them before in the exams and other things, right? Even during training. I know that's different because they're not trying to kill us, but come on. We're ninja, too. We have to fight. Fight for our friends, for our homes, for each other."

Gaara wanted to fight. In his current state, he didn't think it was possible. His village was targeted and in disarray. He was alone. Everyone was against him now.

Actually, that wasn't true. He still had Naruto with him. Naruto was cursed as well. There were times when he couldn't use jutsu at an important time but he didn't give up or whine about it. He kept trying. When something didn't work, he tried something else. If there was something he couldn't do, he did something else. Even at a disadvantage, he kept trying until something worked.

He adapted.

"I'm with Naruto," said Gaara, pushing his way out of Shikamaru's lap. "I may not be able to use sand, but I can still fight. I'm not giving up. I'm the Kazekage of the Sand. I have to defend my village and protect my people. Now that it's been taken from me, I have to get it back. I will save them. It's not just my job. It's what I know is right, in my heart. I have a part to play in this, too. If Naruto is going in to save his village, then so am I."

Inspired, the others nodded to each other.

"We knew we couldn't avoid a fight forever. This had to come eventually."

"It's troublesome, but it looks like we have no choice."

Seki turned to Naruto and nuzzled his face. "I will fight beside you. I will never abandon a friend."

Naruto faced the forest. The ninja were so close, his fur was standing on end. He shifted back into human form and stood. "Are we ready?"

Gaara climbed onto Shikamaru's head. "Ready." He was hitching a ride on top of a human. He wasn't sure what he could do as a raccoon, but he was willing to find out and try his best.

Sakura pulled her gloved tight. "Ready."

Shikamaru braced himself, ready to run. "Ready."

Seki nodded. "Ready."

Sai picked up his weapon. "I'm with you."

It was decided. They would fight. Together.

Giving out a battlecry, Naruto charged forward, leading the group into battle.

Just ten steps out, Naruto saw a sight that make his heart skip a beat. He imagined this was how it must looked from an enemy's perspective when he surrounded them with shadow clones. The branches were bent under the weight of the ninja perched upon them. The ninja on the ground were packed to closely together they looked like a huge mass of heads. Leaf and Sand ninja had come together to battle.

Naruto was not afraid. He roared with excitement and led the charge. His army of four ran behind him, echoing his cry. Three humans and two animals against everyone else.

Though the odds were against them, they rallied together. Running at full speed, Naruto slammed into the first ninja and their fight began. A ninja tried to attack Naruto from the side and Sakura punched them away. Covering her back, Shikamaru used his shadow to freeze a duo of ninja coming straight for her. More ninja came and Gaara jumped from Shikamaru's head and landed in their face. He started scratching with his claws and crawled from shoulder to back and chest. The ninja took swings at him but missed and ended up hurting themselves. Sai blocked the blades coming for Gaara with his weapon and held them off. The remaining ninja became victims of Seki's fox fire which he used to confuse them.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

They charged in a massive tidal wave of clones, knocking ninja back and trampling them. Half the ninja managed to escape from above but were pulled down by Shikamaru's shadow. Sakura smashed the ground with her fist, sending ninja tumbling and grabbing whatever they could to steady themselves. Sai wrapped them up with ink snakes and held them down. As long as they restrained the ninja, they didn't have to worry about hurting them too severely. No one had to die.

A ninja grabbed Gaara by his tail and hung him upside-down. They took out a knife to cut him but Seki latched onto the ninja's arm with his teeth, pulling the weapon down. "Thanks." Gaara used his own teeth to bit the hand holding his tail. Once he was free, Gaara scampered up the ninja's arm and onto his back. Distracted, the ninja ignored Seki to try to get the raccoon off his back.

"If we keep working together like this, we might actually win," said Sakura.

Naruto turned around, blocking a kunai with his bare hand. Neji was right behind him. He forced Naruto back. Naruto snarled and bit Neji's arm. The two wrestled for dominance. Neji threw Naruto to the ground and stomped on his stomach. Naruto grabbed Neji's ankle and twisted. Neji fell and Naruto crawled on top of him. He snapped at Neji's neck with his jaws.

Realizing that he was going for a killing blow, Naruto forced himself to back off. He had to calm down. If he hit Neji in the right spot, he could kill him. Naruto had to resist the urge. He had to keep reminding himself that this was his friend, even though his instincts told him to stop the threat.

"Naruto, look out!"

He looked up and saw Choji's fist in his face. He was blasted off Neji's body and onto the ground. Choji was using his one good arm since the other one was broken from Sakura's earlier attack.

Naruto rolled onto his feet and pounced on Choji. If he broke his other arm, he wouldn't be able to attack anymore. He wouldn't be able to use hand signs or anything. Naruto felt a sharp pain in his back and fell. Neji had stabbed him with his kunai. He pinned Naruto down and tried to stab him again.

Something inside was screaming for him to attack. He had to protect himself. Killing Neji would end the attack. He had to do it if he wanted to live.

"No!" Naruto kicked Neji with both feet, refusing to listen to that part inside him. He would not do it.

Another ninja came and held Naruto down. They were ganging up on him.

 _"Do it!"_ Naruto could hear the Nine-Tails commanding him from inside. _"Kill them! You know you want to. If you aren't strong enough, then let me do it. I don't want to die either, you know."_

"No way!" Naruto fought his way out. "I won't do it!"

He stumbled to the side and knelt down, panting. The Nine-Tails' voice was getting louder. Naruto must have been in a bad situation for the Nine-Tails to speak to him in the middle of a fight like this. Things must have been bad.

Naruto ducked as a weapon came at his head. He turned and fought his way out. He ran onto the battlefield, hoping more space would give him an advantage. Kiba was back and battling anyone in his way. Naruto flipped him over his head and onto the ground. Another ninja came and Naruto spun him around into a tree trunk. Kiba grabbed his ankle to drag him down. Naruto kicked him in the head to get him to stop. A third ninja showed up and stabbed his already wounded shoulder. He knocked the weapon away and pushed the ninja down. Then another ninja came and took his place. This ninja put Naruto in a headlock so he couldn't fight back.

His head facing away from the ninja and towards the battlefield, Naruto could see what was happening around him. His friends were fighting as hard as they could. They worked to protect each other. Even Gaara was fighting as hard as he could though his attacks didn't seem very effective against the ninja fighting back. Naruto saw Seki getting grabbed by his tail and thrown. Everyone was fighting their own battles to notice him.

Naruto's eyes widened in horror when the same ninja stood over Seki with a long knife in hand. He stood on Seki's tails to prevent him from escaping. Seki clawed at the ground, trying to get away. He was about to go the same way as his older brother. His brother was killed by a knife while protecting the ones he cared about from a human. He was going to be skinned alive. He was going to die.

"No! No!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs. He sank his claws into the ninja's arms and pried them off from around his neck. He had to save him. No one else was going to die in front of him. He flipped the ninja over his back and trampled over him on his way to protect Seki.

He took a running leap and grabbed the knife with his bare hands without thinking. His palms were sliced open but he didn't care. He pushed the ninja back with all his might until his foot was no longer on Seki's tails. Naruto clenched the blade of the knife with his hands, cutting himself deeper. He wasn't trying to hurt himself. He was trying to pry the knife out of his hand. The ninja used his other hand to stab Naruto in the rib with a kunai from his belt. Naruto barely felt the pain. He was too worked up.

This ninja was going to kill Seki. He was going to kill his friend. He had to stop him. He had to do something.

Naruto's blue eyes started to change to a vicious red. Power flowed to his arms, giving him strength to push the ninja back. He threw the knife away and grabbed the ninja's hair with his bleeding hand. The other held the ninja's vest. Naruto bared his teeth at his enemy. His instinct was to kill. He had to kill him. This ninja was an enemy.

"Naruto!"

He heard his name faintly but his mind was elsewhere. Once he got rid of this threat, he could pay attention to the voice calling him.

"Naruto, stop!"

Naruto tasted blood.

"Stop!"

Naruto turned away and hissed at the person calling out to him.

Shikamaru stared at him in horror, an intense look in his eyes. He wanted, needed Naruto to stop what he was doing.

Naruto had half a mind to scratch that look off Shikamaru's face. Then he realized what he was thinking and stopped the urge from becoming reality. He read the look on Shikamaru's face and knew he had to stop.

Naruto looked at the ninja in his grasp. His face was bleeding but he would live. Naruto realized he had bitten the man's jaw while trying to reach his neck. He wanted to kill him but not to murder. He was going to do it to protect himself and his friends.

Naruto dropped him and stepped away. He took several deep breaths to calm himself. His eyes were still red. He had to suppress the violent urges swelling inside him.

Shikamaru watched Naruto breathe. It was as he feared. This was another reason why he didn't want to engage in battle with Naruto in this state. He was afraid he would get out of control and hurt someone. Avoiding a fight was his method to protect Naruto from just this. He was afraid if Naruto saw battle like this, he would become too violent. He could have unleashed the same monster he saw back at the town.

Naruto may not have liked it, but avoiding a fight was best for everyone. It was for his own good and the good of those around him.

Naruto's curse along with the tailed beast inside him made Naruto's condition unpredictable. Everyone had to be careful with this.

Naruto took another deep breath and released it in a long deep sigh. He turned his blue eyes towards Shikamaru. There was no need for words. Shikamaru was pleased to have him back to normal and Naruto was glad Shikamaru stopped him from doing something he would have regretted.

Naruto's eyes looked over Shikamaru's head. "Duck!"

Shikamaru bent forward. Naruto stepped on his back and launched himself into the ninja trying to attack Shikamaru from behind. Naruto swung his leg out, kicking them away. Shikamaru stood up and stood back to back with Naruto.

"We can't keep this up forever," he said. "We're showing restraint and they're not. And with their numbers, we'll get worn out before we can make a dent in their forces. That's when they'll move in."

"It's a good thing we didn't used the transformation jutsu when we went into that village to hide. All we did was remove our headbands."

"That's why we didn't use jutsu," Shikamaru told him. "The whole point was for us to conserve our chakra just in case anything happened. Even if a transformation jutsu doesn't take much chakra, we need as much as possible for just such a situation we're in now. We couldn't afford to waste any of it. We need all we've got."

"Well, I get that now. At the time I thought it didn't occur to you."

"No. I'm always thinking. Wasting chakra on something like that is just too troublesome."

Ninja began to surround them from all sides. They nodded to each other and attacked as a team. Shikamaru used his shadow to hold them in place while Naruto used his clones to attack. Naruto shifted forms for a brief moment to scurry up a tree and changed back as he dropped down on more ninja attacking from the rear.

"Fox fire!" Seki used his power to draw the other ninja away to give Naruto a better chance.

Gaara ran from the ninja attacking him in hordes. He jumped from branch to branch to avoid them and down and around trees and bushes. When he jumped onto a ninja's back, his body suddenly changed back into that of a human. He was a human again. His weight caused the ninja to fall forward into the dirt. Gaara stood on top of him, his eyes on the attacking ninja surrounding him.

He wasn't used to fighting without his sand. Using his arms and legs and running around was all new to him. It was a different style of fighting. He wasn't sure if he could hit hard enough to cause any damage but he was willing to try. "As long as I have sand, I can do anything..." Gaara swallowed. "Without sand..."

A ninja came at him from the side and his body automatically reacted, punching him in the jaw.

"Without sand... I'm not helpless. I can still fight."

Gaara looked around. Many of the ninja here were from the sand. Kankuro and Temari were here, too. Kankuro still had his puppet along with a headache from Shikamaru's attack. He remembered the attack in his office. He had clogged his puppet with the sand from his gourd. He had blocked Krow with his sand, too. Which meant there was still sand around him.

Gaara raised his hand, drawing sand from their hair, clothes and tools. There was just enough sand to fit into the palm of his hand but it was enough. Instead of attacking them with it, he used the sand to burrow underground and create more sand. The sand began to grow in amount. It expanded from a handful to an armful in seconds. That sand grounded up more earth and stone, making even more. When the ninja attacked him this time, Gaara had enough sand to block them with a shield.

He drew sand from the earth and cloaked himself in it. The sand lifted him up and carried him over the attacking ninja. He used it to soar through the crowd and restrain the ninja and block attacks. He landed beside Sakura and used the sand to block an attack on her left.

"As long as I have sand, I can do anything," he said proudly. He felt like himself again. Except for the overpowering urge to climb a tree and eat from trashcans.

Further away, Naruto struggled to fight off the ninja attacking Shikamaru. His clones kept disappearing, either from battle or from him changing into fox form. Naruto tried to keep calm but doing that in the heat of battle was next to impossible.

Shikamaru stumbled and fell into him. The ninja he was holding back broke free of his shadows. One of the ninja threw his weapon at him but Naruto knocked it away. He stood over Shikamaru's body protectively and hissed, pinning his fox ears back.

Naruto was on all fours though he was still mostly human. From this position, Shikamaru couldn't get up. Naruto didn't want any harm to come to Shikamaru but if he needed to get up quickly, he wouldn't be able to.

The attacking ninja formed a perfect line in front of them. A wall of ninja who weren't backing down. Naruto could either stay where he was and shield Shikamaru, or he could break away and attack them. There were too many for him to take on alone and he couldn't use his clones with his fox ears and tail out.

As they came closer, Naruto let out another hiss and crouched lower. He was afraid to leave Shikamaru's side. The second he moved, he could have been attacked from another angle.

In the distance, Sakura shattered the ground, stirring up a cloud of soil and a gust of wind.

Naruto's nose twitched, picking up a scent.

Shikamaru pulled on Naruto's sleeve, getting his attention. "Here they come."

The ninja sprang into the air and some remained on the ground, attacking on foot. Naruto kept his body pressed close to Shikamaru, protecting him. No blade would touch him but Naruto's body was exposed. He couldn't protect himself, go on the offensive and protect Shikamaru at the same time. He chose to defend. He chose to protect his friend. Even if that meant taking all the damage himself.

Shikamaru wanted Naruto to move so he could fight back but Naruto wouldn't let him. Everyone else was fighting further away. In this position, they were sitting ducks.

"Lightning Blade!"

* * *

Guess who? :D

Please review! ^-^


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30:**

The ninja before them were blasted away from an unseen attack. The one responsible landed in front of Naruto and Shikamaru. He turned back to look at them.

"Kakashi-sensei..."

Which side was he on? No one had seen him for a while. If he was cursed or under a jutsu was anyone's guess. Naruto and Shikamaru waited for the answer.

Kakashi bent down and patted Naruto's head. "Hey, there." His mask curled, indicating a hidden smile underneath. "Miss me?"

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto jumped off Shikamaru and tackled him in a hug. Joy and instinct taking over, Naruto licked Kakashi's mask and wagged his tail.

Kakashi chuckled as if he were being licked by a dog, but the expression on his mostly-covered face was a mixture of annoyance and disgust. Being licked by his student must have been very strange.

Naruto nuzzled him in greeting, then stopped and gave him a small shove. "Where have you been?" he snapped. "I was worried sick about you! I didn't know if you were hurt, or one of his puppets or what! For all I know, you could have been that necklace Karada's wearing. In fact, I thought you were since no one's seen you in ages!"

"Yeah, sorry about that." Kakashi patted Naruto's head as if he were petting a dog. He patted him in just the right way, Naruto forgot his outrage and leaned into his touch, enjoying it. "After Seki warned me to keep an eye out for anything strange, I decided to do some investigating."

"What sort of investigating?" asked Shikamaru.

"The night of the fake fire," he explained. "I had a feeling that it was a diversion. Also knowing that you have to concentrate when using illusions and the fact that you were fighting a kitsune that night while the fire was still going told me that there must have been more than one that night."

"Yeah. There are two. The last one is on the loose and we can't find it anywhere."

"Exactly. So I started to look into that. I wondered what the foxes were after that night since it couldn't have just been a show of power. I was possessed that evening. It was possible that I was the main prize that night which was why the fire was put in place to draw attention away from their real goal. Though I don't remember anything from the time I was possessed, I know that several people saw me, including Gai. I went around asking people if they had seen me that night and what I was doing."

"What did you find out?" Shikamaru asked.

"That someone saw me go into the basement of the Hokage building where most of the records are kept. Things like certain ninja files."

From that statement alone, Shikamaru managed to piece things together. "That's how the fox found out about Karada. He used you to look through the records to find a ninja he could use and blame things on."

"Exactly what I was thinking," said Kakashi. "Since I didn't know who he was looking at, I went to the holding cells where they keep the ninja in those files. Everyone was accounted for except one. Karada was the only one missing. So I went back to look up the file with all his information. I read up about his jutsu and figured out what the next step was the enemy was going to take. By that time, ninja were already starting to leave the village to look for the Hokage who had still not returned. If Karada was no longer in the village, then he must have been waiting for ninja outside. Since no one knew he was missing, no one would have expected to run into him. Since he's been in solitary confinement for years and was being trained by ANBU, most of the ninja searching outside the village wouldn't know about him. Easy targets."

"Did you think to warn the others and make sure they didn't send anyone else out of the village?" asked Naruto.

"By that time, it was too late. Since ninja were coming and going, I had no way of knowing who was effected or not, so I didn't know who to trust. Since you weren't in the village at the time and Sakura had gone after you, I feared you would be a target. But with your curse, I figured you would be safe. Sakura, however, wouldn't be. But as long as you two were together, I had a feeling you would protect her." Kakashi gave a little smile. He knew Naruto pretty well. Then the wrinkles in his mask evened out, once again serious. "By that time, attacks started to happen around the village. I knew I had to get out of there. I couldn't risk getting hit by that jutsu, so I've basically been on the run."

"Why didn't you come find us and tell us what was going on so we wouldn't worry?"

"Because I was still investigating." Kakashi patted Naruto's head again. "Sorry I didn't come sooner, but there was a lot I was doing. We can talk about the details later. Right now, we have to take care of this."

Naruto looked around at the gathering ninja.

"I'll take on the stronger ones," Kakashi said. "I figured you would want Karada all to yourself, Naruto. I still can't risk getting hit by the jutsu, so he's all yours."

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei. But I'll deal with him later. Right now, I have to help you guys take care of their numbers. We're fighting two villages now."

"I gathered." Kakashi targeted some ninja to his right. "As long as we know what we're doing..." Kakashi charged into battle without another word.

Teamwork. They would do this together.

Side by side, Naruto and Kakashi ran forward in an attack. Kakashi took care of the ninja on his right while Naruto took care of the ones on the left. Naruto hopped on Kakashi's shoulder and, using him as a stepladder, jumped over the heads of the ninja charging to attack behind them. "Rasengan!"

"Nice work, Naruto." Shikamaru grabbed the ninja behind Naruto with his shadow. He pulled them back away from his friend.

Kakashi lifted his headband, using both eyes for the fight. He had no choice. They were facing some elite ninja in this battle. He clashed blades with ninja he fought alongside on many missions and used jutsu against jutsu. The earth quaked, the trees toppled. The battle was getting even more intense.

"Fox fire!" Seki used his illusions to create a false battlefield, making the ninja fight against mere shadows rather than each other. This gave Kakashi and the others a chance to take on the ninja they were already fighting.

Sai clashed blades with a jonin and found himself overpowered. His wrist nearly snapped from the ninja's pressure. He dropped his blade to save himself from injury. The jonin kneed him in the stomach and tried to punch him next. Sai backed up frantically to avoid his swings.

Seki saw him struggling and offered his help. "Lend me your body for a second!" Seki jumped into Sai from behind and took control of his body. Sai bent on all fours and avoided the jonin's attacks. With an agile fox controlling his movements, Sai was able to avoid the attacks in a way he had never considered. Though Seki wasn't used to operating a human body, he proved himself more than able when it came to evasion. Sai's body dipped and jumped and weaved, avoiding every attack aimed at him.

Sai grabbed the ninja's arms and held them down. At the same time, Seki leapt from Sai's chest and into the man's face. He scratched and clawed the jonin while he was helpless. Sai then released his grip and watched the jonin fall backwards, holding his bleeding face. "Hey, thanks," Sai told Seki.

"Sure thing."

Sai picked up his blade from the ground and blocked a kunai heading for Seki's back. "Try to prevent more ninja from coming this way," Sai told him. "If we can keep the numbers down, we may have a chance. We can't take everyone on at once."

"I have to concentrate for that. Will you be able to watch my back?"

"Sure. Where do you need me?"

Kakashi flipped through the air and landed on a tree trunk, parallel to the ground. He jumped aside when an attack came at him, shattering the tree instead. He looked up and saw the attacking ninja being tossed away by a ball of sand. Gaara zoomed by on his sand, throwing ninja out of his path and saving his friends.

He circled back and Kakashi hopped onto the sand, riding with him. They attacked from above. The sand came to a more crowded area and Kakashi jumped down to help stop the cluster of ninja coming for Naruto.

Naruto bit and scratched his way out. He saw Kakashi fighting behind him and trusted his back to him. Naruto protected Kakashi's back, fighting the ninja who came at him from the front.

"Don't waste too much of your energy fighting these guys," Kakashi told him. "You need to save your strength for the fight against Karada."

"I know. But I can't leave all these guys to you."

"We can manage, Naruto. Remember who you're talking to." Kakashi threw a ninja over his shoulder without looking, hinting to Naruto that he didn't need protection.

"Even if I wasn't worried about leaving you guys outnumbered, I can't get to Karada with all these guys in the way." They were blocking Naruto from Karada. These ninja weren't going to let anyone through. Naruto considered forcing his way through, but he had to restrain himself. He was worried he would get out of hand again and attack to kill.

Gaara tried to clear a path for Naruto but something was wrong. His sand was weakening. "What's this?" Gaara saw the sand slipping from his grasp. Slowly at first then all at once. Gaara fell from the air and landed in the middle of a cluster of ninja as a raccoon. He had lost his jutsu and his power when he changed.

When the ninja surrounded him, he ran. Inside he knew he had to escape. He was normally so calm and fearless but under the curse, he felt changed. He was left running scared and powerless. He felt so small and weak.

"I'm not weak," Gaara told himself. "I managed to save Naruto when Karada was hurting him. I managed to use sand again. I can do this. I can!"

Gaara ran up a tree and down on one of the ninja. If biting and scratching were all he could do, then he was going to do it. He jumped from ninja to ninja, biting them with his teeth and clawing at any exposed skin he could find. He even managed to squeeze down a man's vest and out the bottom. The ninja only ended up hurting himself when he tried to get Gaara out of his clothes. Gaara sent many ninja stumbling and tripping and punching themselves.

Gaara smiled to himself, feeling pleased. "This works."

Naruto stopped for a moment to look around. His friends were still fighting but there was no end in sight. Every time they defeated one ninja, two more took his place. They couldn't defeat very many ninja with so much more coming after them. They were reduced to shoving one aside to deal with another. It was exhausting and endless.

As ninja fighting ninja, they were on even ground. It was the numbers and motive that was the problem. Ninja who haven't begun to fight yet were ready to take the place of those who were defeated. It was a tag-team effort. Naruto and his friends couldn't tap out and replace themselves with other ninja if they needed to rest. From the look of things, some of them were already starting to wear down. There were just too many to fight.

"We can't go on like this forever," Naruto called to anyone who would listen. They were put against an army of strong ninja. They were no pushovers. He was afraid to go all out just in case he lost control and he had to conserve as much energy as he could to bring down Karada. Not to mention the last kitsune if they ever found it.

While Shikamaru held a bunch of ninja hostage in his shadow, one sneaked up behind him and stabbed him while his back was turned. Shikamaru lost control of the jutsu and fell down. The ninja held him down and tried to stab him again. Shikamaru kicked the knife from his hand and rolled away. Another ninja chased after him. Shikamaru used his shadow to help lift him to his feet so he could run. That's when he felt a sharp pain in his leg. He fell down again, a kunai sticking out of his kneecap. As he moved to pull it out, the same ninja stomped on the handle, driving it in deeper. Shikamaru screamed in pain and curled into a ball.

Naruto heard his cry and came running. He flew into the ninja's chest with his shoulder, knocking him back. Naruto picked Shikamaru up and helped him limp away. Shikamaru pulled the kunai out of his knee and threw it away.

"I can't put weight on it," Shikamaru told him. He wouldn't be able to run. "Naruto, get down now."

Both dropped to the ground as more ninja came their way.

Naruto pinned his fox ears back and hissed in warning. He had to protect Shikamaru.

"I'm fine. I just can't walk." Shikamaru could still perform hand signs. That was enough to do some damage but not enough to help him if he had to flee from an attack. He was a sitting duck.

Not too far away, Sakura was having trouble taking on so many ninja at once. She was starting to stagger. Then the ground exploded in front of her and a familiar face started boxing with her. This ninja was too much for her to take on now. "Lee, stop! Lee!"

Lee kept punching and kicking. Sakura blocked whatever attacks she could avoid. Lee jumped in the air, spun around and kicked Sakura into a bush. When he came at her for another attack, she rolled out of the way. She had to hide. She had to get away from him. She tried to get to her feet, but Lee forced her down again. She tried to crawl away but Lee grabbed her ankle and dragged her back.

"Get off me!" Sakura cried. She kicked and stomped on his hand with the heel of her boot. He wouldn't let go. He pulled her closer to him. She was on her back and being dragged closer towards Lee. He had his other hand raised to strike. She kicked him in the face and chest but he wouldn't stop. He was on top of her. "Lee! Stop!"

He punched the ground beside her head, missing as she squirmed. The hole he left in the ground looked like a bomb had gone off. If he hit her with that punch, her skull would be shattered. It would be an instant death.

Straddling her and holding her down with his left hand, Lee raised his right. His fingered curled into a tight fist over his head and started to bring it down. He was going to kill her.

Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Rah!" A fox sprang from the bush behind her and into Lee. The fox knocked him backwards and the two rolled over each other. The fox bit his arm, preventing him from striking.

Sakura sat up. "Seki..?" Something was different about this fox. It had two tails just like Seki but this one looked different. Its fur was a slightly different shade around the face and chest. Even the flow of the fur was different, in a similar way to how a human would part their hair.

When the fox jumped away from Lee's punch, Sakura realized that this fox was a female.

Sakura blinked. She knew she had seen this fox before.

Naruto could hear Sakura's voice from a short distance away. "I just heard Sakura scream." Naruto started looking around to find her. "Has anyone seen her?"

Shikamaru looked around. "I see her. She's fine. She's over there. I think Seki saved her from Lee." Shikamaru took a better look at the fox grappling with Lee. "Wait... That's not Seki. Then who..?"

"Narutoooooo!"

The cursed ninja turned away from the ninja in front of him, distracted. His fox ears picked up a voice which was soon joined by many others. He knew that call anywhere.

He faced the other way, his eyes spotting something in the distance.

Shikamaru was about to tell him to keep his eyes on the attacking ninja but even they were looking away. Shikamaru followed their gaze to something that made his heart beat quickly in surprise.

Standing half hidden among the trees on a steep hill were a gathering of kitsune. A fox with three tails made his way to the front and looked out over the crowd of ninja with a vehement expression. His green eyes fell to Naruto and he opened his mouth to command his pack.

"To Naruto!"

The foxes around him ran down the hill and into the fray. Ryosuke jumped from the hill and soared over them like a falcon. He landed in a run at the front of the group and led the charge. The kitsune moved as one. The pack of foxes looked like an orange sheet of fur being pulled across the ground. Then they split away from each other and scattered. Naruto could see the flames of fox fire weaving through the air like smoke from a blown-out candle.

Ryosuke ran straight for Naruto. He moved so quickly, Naruto couldn't see his paws touch the ground. He moved swiftly, without making a sound. He jumped and landed between Naruto and the attacking ninja. His three tails fanned out like peacock feathers and and began to glow. He whipped them in the air, sending flames from his fur. The flame gathered around him into a dozen fireballs, flickering dangerously.

"Fox fire!" Ryosuke growled demonically.

The ground turned black and the trees began to melt. Ryosuke's body grew to the size of an elephant and roared at the ninja. Naruto couldn't see the face Ryosuke was making but it was enough to terrify the ninja into backing away. He snapped at air with his jaws and the ninja ran from him.

Ryosuke shrunk back to normal size and faced Naruto with a smile. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Once Naruto got over the urge to fall at his feet, Naruto took a step towards him and said in a scolding tone, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to help you. You do not have to fight this battle alone, nor do I want you to."

"But... But the mountain..." Naruto couldn't believe it. "You left it. But... you..."

"You helped me protect my home, so I will do the same for you."

"But if you left the mountain... The whole reason for..."

Ryosuke touched his head to Naruto's hand and he stopped talking. "The last wicked kitsune is not near the mountain. Right now, I am not needed there. I am needed here."

"But..." Naruto was still amazed to see Ryosuke standing in front of him so far from the mountain. "But... it's your home... Your pack lives there with you. You stayed to protect them..."

Ryosuke's eyes met Naruto's. "You are a part of my pack. And you always will be."

He was here to help a friend. That was why he left. Even Ryosuke knew the kind of danger Naruto was in and couldn't bear to leave him alone. He would not have been able to forgive himself knowing he could have done something to help and didn't. In that, Naruto and Ryosuke were the same.

"You helped defend my home, the least I can do is help defend yours. Right now, the mountain is not in danger, but your home is. The kitsune is not near there so it's ok for me to leave. And since I left, naturally my pack wanted to join me. They wanted to help you, too. So I allowed it."

Naruto looked around at all the kitsune taking part in the battle. They hissed and scratched and cast illusions. When one was in trouble, another one came to help. "They came... to help me?" He was touched to know they cared so much about him and his home. Though they hadn't known each other for long, they were willing to go through such lengths to help him.

"You were there for us," Ryosuke reminded him. "I will do my part."

Naruto looked down at Ryosuke with a smile. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. The threat is very real for both of us. This effects us both, remember. We must work together to handle it." Ryosuke turned to face the ninja approaching from behind. With the illusions gone, they saw no reason to retreat. They had another attack planned. "I will leave Karada to you. He is your prize."

Ryosuke knew that Naruto wanted to fight and defeat him. He had already chosen him as his opponent. He had his claim on Karada, so no one else was going to fight him.

It wasn't just honor of battle. It was an unspoken rule even among kitsune.

"Got it," Naruto said with a nod. He had no complaints about this. Karada was his to fight.

The ninja started to attack and Ryosuke stepped forward to defend Naruto. "Fox fire!" Ryosuke's body grew into a giant once more. His giant limbs slapped the ninja aside effortlessly. It truly was effortless since Ryosuke's real body wasn't doing anything. He stood still while the illusion of his giant self did the attacking. Though the ninja weren't actually being touched, they were fooled into thinking they were and toppled over like dominoes.

Further away, some of the younger kitsune were running into trouble with the ninja they were attacking directly. One ninja grabbed onto a kitsune's tail and held it off the ground, raising a knife with their other hand to kill it. The kitsune squeaked and yelled. Another came to its rescue and tore the knife away from the ninja with its teeth.

Another was having a similar problem with a duo of ninja. This kitsune wasn't fast enough and got a kunai to the shoulder. Before the ninja could finish the job, Sonar pounced on the ninja and protected the injured comrade.

Naruto felt the urge to help. He couldn't go after Karada yet. He had to help protect his kitsune friends. If he was a part of the pack, then he had to act like it. When the second ninja tried to attack Sonar, Naruto grabbed his arm and twisted it back. He kicked of the ground and flipped over the ninja, still holding his arm. He didn't let go until he heard a snap. He back-flipped away and landed on all fours, shifting into fox form.

"Brother!"

Naruto turned and saw Seki reuniting with his younger brother, Reki. They nuzzled each other, then sprang apart to avoid a ninja attack. They stood side by side and used their fox fire to fight back. Naruto smiled, seeing the two work together like this. It was heartwarming.

"Come get me, humans!" Aurora taunted, running away from a large group. She circled around a tree and came back, her tails waving flames in the air. "Fox fire!"

The ninja stopped suddenly, their limbs tied by thick ropes. They couldn't move. It was all an illusion. There was nothing there binding them, but they perceived it to be real.

A ninja tried to attack Aurora while she was concentrating but Ishi protected her, latching onto the ninja's arm.

Naruto noticed something about their fight. Though they lived by the rule of not attacking humans, they had no choice but to do it in this situation. Even so, they weren't inflicting much damage. Their bites weren't deep and they kept the scratching to a minimum. They stayed away from vital areas and mostly used illusions to fight. Even now they were trying to avoiding hurting human beings.

Illusions were cast everywhere. Fake foxes for the ninja to chase, fake ninja opponents to fight. Even fake realities. The kitsune barely had to use their teeth and claws because of this. Some ninja weren't fooled but those ninja were stuck fighting Naruto's friends, like Sakura and Sai.

Gaara did his part, scratching ninja and disarming them by stealing their weapons and tools while they were trapped in an illusion. Even without his sand, Gaara proved himself useful. Kakashi was in the middle of a fight with three ninja. He two of them were Gai and Yamato. They weren't making the fight an easy one. Kakashi didn't accept any help from the kitsune. He wanted to take on some of the strongest ninja to help ease the load on everyone else.

Ninja were left screaming, trapped in illusions of horrible nightmares. Some were left unable to move, thinking they were tied up or stuck in cages. Others were treated to a wonderful fantasy, vacationing on a beach or pounding back drinks at a bar. Those ninja weren't distracted for very long, because of the jutsu they were under. It seemed it was best to scare them or trap them in some other way since the lure of fun and drinks weren't as tempting to them in their current state of mind.

"Make a hole!" Ryosuke ordered.

The kitsune who weren't busy maintaining an illusion came to answer his call. They flanked Ryosuke and used their fox magic to pushed the humans aside, like a parting of the sea. They made a path for Naruto to take which led directly to Karada.

"Naruto, go!"

Wasting no time, Naruto took the path they had cleared for him, running past cursing ninja and falling weapons. In mid-stride, Naruto switched back to human form and ran the rest of the way as a ninja. The further he ran, the quieter it got. The main fight was happening behind him. He passed trees and shrubs, not a ninja in sight.

He eased out of his run and slowed to a stop.

Karada was standing before him, waiting.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, studying Karada closely. He was alone with the purple amulet around his neck. The cloth limbs flicked the air like snake tongues.

Karada smiled wickedly. He couldn't wait to fight Naruto. It wasn't anticipation that fed his expression. He already knew how the fight would end. He was just eager to show Naruto the outcome and rub it in his face.

* * *

Big fight is a-coming! It all comes down to this.

Please review! ^-^


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31:**

"So..." Karada drawled, "here we are." He chuckled. "Want to fight?"

Naruto answered by clenching his fists.

"You can't win and you know it." Karada's cloth flicked in the direction of the ninja battle beyond the trees. "Eventually, they'll run out of steam. That's when my army will move in and finish the job. Can't you see that it was all a part of my plan?"

"Your plan?" Naruto questioned.

"Yes," Karada said with a smirk. "Affairs of the heart are all unnecessary but oh-so predictable. That's why bonds and feelings get in the way. Since you are so close to the kitsune, I knew it was only a matter of time before they came to assist you in the battle. Ryosuke obviously felt guilty leaving you all alone, knowing the hardships you were facing and him selfishly staying at his beloved mountain. Now that he is here with the rest of the kitsune, they can be killed right here and the mountain will be empty. You see? All a trick to get them to leave. That was the plan from the start. It took a while but it finally happened. With a little pushing, I knew it would come to this."

Naruto knew that the plan was for the kitsune to leave the mountain from the start. That was why his village was targeted in the first place. "But that wasn't your plan," Naruto told him. "It was the plan of the wicked kitsune who wanted to take the mountain. What would you want with it? What's the mountain to you?"

Karada frowned. "To me..?" He looked annoyed at the question. Then he chuckled and went back to smirking. "Like I need a reason. This is just fun for me. Besides, the Leaf is my prize. So long as I'm tormenting you and your people, I'm good. And putting you through hell is also entertaining. You are a part of the Leaf Village, so hurting you falls into that category."

Naruto frowned. "You're not making sense. You're mad at the Leaf so you're attacking me?"

"Not personally. But being a member of the Leaf makes you an enemy of mine."

"Then why attack the mountain? What's it to you?"

Karada frowned again, then just a quickly smirked. "It means something to you. It's like capturing territory in war. And that's just what this is."

Naruto wasn't buying it. Either Karada was a talented liar or someone was feeding him what to say. Shikamaru was right to be confused when it came to figuring out the enemy's plans. They didn't follow logic. Not the way Karada was explaining them.

It was true. The kitsune was the one pulling the strings. Shikamaru was right about Karada being manipulated. He had no reason to attack the mountain unless the kitsune told him to.

"I don't know what kind of curse he has you under," said Naruto, "but it's a bunch of crap."

"You think I need a better reason? You like the mountain, you're part of the Leaf, hurting it will cause you pain which I want. That's good enough for me."

"But not for me," said Naruto. "And besides, Ryosuke isn't being selfish by staying at the mountain rather than come to help me. If he had left, the whole town would have been in danger. I saw what could have happened before if he had left. The town was under attack, even while he was there. If he wasn't around to help defend it..."

"Very touching..."

"Back to you," Naruto went on. "The only reason you're doing any of this is because you're mad at the village for throwing you in jail for something you hadn't done?"

"Yes. Where's the fairness in that?"

"Well, you're proving them right now. You attacking the Leaf like this is exactly what they were worried about. Why are you doing this? You want them to think it was justified?"

"I'm only doing this because-"

"Because you want to prove that they were right?"

"No!"

"Then why?!"

"Because! Because..." Karada looked confused. If starting a war was only going to prove the village right in locking him up... "Because..." Karada's face contorted in anger. "Because they poked the bear! That's why! If they hadn't locked me away, I wouldn't have had a reason to rebel. They should have left it well alone. Instead, they chose to provoke me. I'm angry at them. That's why I'm doing this. Why I'm doing any of this! I hate the Leaf for what they've done. I hate it!"

Karada's cloth snapped out like toad tongue and wrapped around Naruto. It lifted him off the ground and slammed him down. Naruto was slammed repeatedly, Karada cursing the Leaf all the while.

"No, you don't," Naruto said once the beating was over. "You can't hate it."

"What do you know?!" Karada yelled. "How can I not hate it after my imprisonment?"

"Because it's your home. And the whole reason you trained as hard as you did was so you would be able to help protect it."

Karada's expression changed. "Wh... What?" he said hesitantly.

"You care about the Leaf. You're only mad because you couldn't protect it. They tossed you in a cell before you could get the chance. You said you were proud when they praised you and wanted to give you assignments. You see? You love the Leaf. You can't hate it."

Karada snarled and slapped Naruto across the face with his cloth. "You know nothing! I feel nothing for it! I hate it!"

"The only reason you hate it is because you're upset that you weren't able to do anything for it yet! You can't hate something if you didn't care at least a little about it. Where there is hate, there is also love! Don't you get it? You still care about the Leaf! If you didn't, you wouldn't have gone through all this!"

Karada hesitated before hitting Naruto again. "Shut up!" Karada hit him so hard, Naruto was sent skipping like a stone across the ground. "You don't understand! You don't know! You don't know what it's like to be condemned! To be hated and feared! To be strong but still looked at like you're a monster. The things you may be capable of..."

Naruto lifted himself up. "It's because I understand that I'm here fighting you now."

Karada roared and came at Naruto with all cloth arms at once.

* * *

Shikamaru half crawled, half hobbled over to the thick brush to hide. His leg was in bad shape and Sakura wasn't in any position to heal it now. There was no time for that. Shikamaru had to find a safe place and stay out of the way. He found a safe spot among the trees and sat down.

He heard crashing sounds and looked through the tree trunks. It was Naruto and Karada's fight. He was close enough to see them without being seen himself. Shikamaru couldn't tell who was winning. So far the match seemed pretty even.

Shikamaru had been trying to analyze Karada to better understand him and how he would attack so he could find a weak spot. However, Karada being under a curse made it difficult. Shikamaru didn't know how Karada was before the curse so he had no idea what changed. The curse made him unpredictable. Shikamaru couldn't figure him out as easily as he could other people which made coming up with a strategy more difficult. During this current battle, Karada didn't appear to be very rational. In battle, that made someone an easy target because Shikamaru could predict what that person would do. However, Karada was also crafty. He had many different things going on just in case one plan didn't work, he had many back-ups. What was the curse and what was an act, Shikamaru wasn't certain. Karada was next to impossible to figure out. Everything they had witnessed and knew made it unpredictable and dangerous. Shikamaru wished he could come up with a plan but in light of all this information, he knew anything he came up with would either be risky or fail.

"Shik-"

"Shh!" Shikamaru put a finger to his lips.

Sakura came and sat down beside him. She started to treat his injury now that she wasn't fighting anyone and they were off the battlefeild.

"Naruto's fighting Karada."

"I figured he would be," said Sakura quietly. "How's he doing?"

"Can't tell. I just showed up a minute ago."

"Piece of crap!" Karada flung Naruto into the air and slapped him back down with the same cloth arm. "You have no right to lecture me about things you do not understand! Come talk to me after you've been betrayed and thrown in prison."

Naruto rolled aside and slipped into his fox form. He came at Karada with fangs and claws. No matter how hard he tried, the fabric wouldn't tear. Not a single thread would break. Naruto swung himself around and went for Karada's face. Karada held up the necklace and Naruto pulled back, afraid to chance it. Taking advantage of Naruto's hesitation, Karada swatted Naruto away with his cloth, chuckling.

Shikamaru watched closely. "I still don't get it."

"What?"

"Where the last kitsune is. Seki's been searching everywhere and found nothing. Not even a scent. Kakashi was all over the place, too, and even he couldn't find anything. Now Ryosuke and the others are here and not even they could find a trace of the kitsune."

"We agreed it would have to be somewhere safe. So why would it be near this battle?"

"Because Karada's here," said Shikamaru. "I know that maintaining an illusion is different from inflicting a curse, but he would still have to be somewhat close to Karada. Especially if he gave him that amulet. I find it hard to believe that the fox managed to give that cursed object to Karada without either us, Seki or Kakashi noticing him. We were all in the same area."

"And kitsune can see through illusions and deceptions like that. So it would have been impossible for the fox to disguise its scent. Naruto and Seki would have been able to figure it out."

"Exactly... Scent..." Shikamaru said, thinking hard. He thought back to the cafe when Gaara tried to hide in a water jug from the dog. No, he wasn't hiding. He was trying to mask his scent. Gaara was trying to wash away his scent so he could hide from the dog's nose. "Animals try to hide their scent when they know someone's tracking them. Gaara used the water to wash away his scent so the dog wouldn't be able to find him. That's what he was doing. But there are other ways to mask a scent."

"When Naruto was cursed the first time, he had to fight a bad kitsune named Reevo who was transformed into the prince. He said it was easy to hide because he was wearing the prince's clothes and was living in a human palace with humans. It was easy to mask his scent in that way."

"And kitsune are crafty. They can be tricky," said Shikamaru. "That's another reason why I'm having trouble figuring this out. Naruto told me to think like a fox because I'm so busy thinking of things a human would do. I'm treating the kitsune like a human. He may have human intellect but it's still a fox. We know the kitsune would be hiding after its partner was defeated. Now it's alone. But if it were hiding away from us, Seki would have found it or something. And how would it know the moves we're making and tell Karada and give him a cursed object if he weren't close by? While I was spying, I didn't see the kitsune at all."

"It's not at the village. Maybe it went to the mountain now that Ryosuke and everyone is here."

"How would it know if Ryosuke were still there or not? Ryosuke said that the mountain wasn't in danger because the kitsune wasn't near there. So it would have to be close to where we are."

Naruto tried to punched Karada in human form but again he used the amulet as a shield. Naruto avoided the purple jewel and was thrown aside once more.

"It would have to be close by..." Shikamaru thought aloud. "Masking his scent... Easily hidden, but somewhere safe... Somewhere safe... Able to know what was happening. Close enough, masked scent and safe... Crafty fox..."

Shikamaru watched Naruto and Karada fight. Every time Naruto got close to Karada's face, he would hold up the amulet, making it impossible for Naruto to strike. Naruto wasn't willing to risk the life of the cursed person. This was something Karada was betting on. He smacked Naruto away again.

Shikamaru's eyes grew wide. "Hiding in plain sight... That's it!" Shikamaru called between the trees to his friend. "Naruto!"

Hearing his voice, Naruto looked around. A cloth arm wrapped around Naruto's waist and lifted him up.

"Naruto! The amulet!"

The cloth slapped Naruto hard enough to draw blood.

"It's the fox!" Shikamaru shouted. "The fox is the amulet around Karada's neck!"

For a moment, time stood still. Naruto held his breath. The cloth limbs stopped their flailing. Even Karada himself was motionless.

Shikamaru's words finally sunk in. Naruto's eyes went straight for the necklace.

"It's... the amulet..?"

Sakura turned to Shikamaru in shock. "The necklace Karada's wearing? That's the fox?"

He nodded once.

"But how can that be? He's been using it as a shield this whole time. And it's a cursed object, isn't it?"

"Kitsune are tricky," Shikamaru explained. "Naruto said so and after what we've seen, we know first hand how tricky they can be. Planting doubt into our head and making us think things that aren't real. Pretending to be a cursed object isn't beneath them or any of their tricks. It makes perfect sense. What better place to hide than in plain sight? And of all places, it's the one place that's too dangerous for us to attempt and with the one person we're trying to avoid."

It made sense. Being with Karada was safe.

"And if he's passing himself off to be a cursed object, knowing that we're still looking for missing people, he knows Naruto and the rest of us won't try to attack. We won't risk putting a helpless person in danger like that. If Naruto thinks it's a friend who's been cursed, he'll avoid hitting it. It works both ways. Karada will be safe since he's using it as a shield, and the fox will also be safe because we're going to try to protect it from harm."

"But... But can a fox curse itself? I don't get it," said Sakura. "Did the kitsune place a curse on itself to hide? Why would it take that risk?"

"I don't think it's cursed at all," said Shikamaru. "Remember, kitsune can use transformation. A two-tailed fox has that ability and we're looking for a two-tails. I bet it isn't just people they can turn into."

Sakura remembered that was an ability of a two-tails, which they happened to be looking for. "But even if it was a transformation and not an illusion a fox can see through, it doesn't solve every issue. A cursed object won't have a scent to it but a transformation is different. Won't the fox, even transformed into something else, still have a scent? Naruto and Seki should have been able to sniff it out if that were the case."

"I had thought of that, too. Then I saw Gaara take a dive into that water jug at the cafe. If Gaara hadn't done that, I might not have thought of it. Gaara was trying to wash off his scent so the dog couldn't find him. The kitsune must have done the same thing. Only instead of washing off its scent, it's hanging around Karada. He's being worn around his neck. His transformed body is constantly rubbing up against Karada's. On his skin, under his clothes. He's masking his scent."

Sakura also remembered Reevo explaining the same thing when he was disguised as the prince. He wore the prince's clothes not just to look the part. He wanted his scent to rub off on him. He lived in a human mansion with human beings. His scent was perfectly masked. No one could tell the difference. Humans didn't identify people by scent but any kitsune in the area would be fooled unless they got extremely close to Reevo. The last remaining kitsune must have been trying the same thing.

"Not to mention how we were all trying to avoid getting near Karada. Seki was trying to avoid him because he sensed danger and because Karada had a lot of humans around him. Naruto doesn't know what the kitsune smells like so he couldn't tell even if he got close enough."

"That would also explain why no one has seen Akamaru, even though Kiba is under the jutsu," said Sakura. "Whether the jutsu effects animals or not, the fox wouldn't want a dog hanging around. This explains everything."

Naruto started to snarl. "So..." he growled deep in his throat. "The kitsune we're looking for is around your neck."

Karada flinched and put a hand to the amulet.

"Dirty trick. Even taking a huge chance by doing that, you knew I would never attack if I thought it was a friend who was under a curse." Naruto opened his mouth wide, showing his fangs. "At least now I know I don't have to hold back!"

Naruto unleashed a roar and came at Karada, his cloth still wrapped around his waist. Karada was so deep in shock, he didn't react in time or use the cloth to restrain Naruto. He was unable to do anything until Naruto was in his face.

Snapping back, Karada pulled Naruto away with the cloth around his waist. He hoisted Naruto into the air and let him dangle. "I'm not worried. You're still no match for me. And now that I know your friends are hiding nearby, I can attack them, too." Karada turned towards their hiding spot. "That way, right? The shouting came from over there. I might not be able to see them, but I can take down all the trees so there's nowhere left to hide. With any luck, they'll be crushed by the falling trees. Let's see."

Karada's cloth arm snapped the air and struck the trees. Thankfully, it was a few feet from where Sakura and Shikamaru were hidden, but they couldn't stay where they were. They had to leave before they were crushed.

"Knock it off!" Naruto shouted, trying to tie the cloth into a knot. "Your fight is with me and no one else!"

Karada's head turned. "That may be so, but keep in mind, I will be going after those two when I'm finished with you. Since I know the outcome of the match, I figured I might as well finish them off now rather than later. You're going to lose anyway."

"Wanna bet?!"

Seeing his determination, Karada turned to face him. "Have it your way. Maybe I'll keep you alive long enough to watch me finish them off."

"The only one finished here is you!" As Naruto said this, his finger was pointed at the amulet around Karada's neck. His words were intended for the fox.

Sakura and Shikamaru started to move away from the trees. Though they wanted to watch the fight and offer their help should Naruto need it, they knew it was better to stay out of the way. Not just on account of the danger, but because they knew Naruto wanted to fight Karada alone.

As if drawn to the threat facing Karada, two ninja showed up and started attacking Sakura and Shikamaru. It was Lee and Neji. Lee went after Sakura and Shikamaru was left limping away from Neji.

Sakura ran from Lee and he chased after her. Shikamaru tried to stop Neji with his shadow, but expecting him to do this, Neji jumped into the air to avoid it. He attacked from above, avoiding the shadow as much as possible. Shikamaru's leg was still injured but Sakura had healed it enough for him to be able to put some weight on it. Running was still going to be an issue, but it looked like he would have no choice if Neji kept attacking like this.

"Listen to me, Neji," Shikamaru tried desperately to reason with him even though he knew it was pointless. At this point, all he could do was stall time. "We're so close to ending this. We know where the fox is. Remember? The fox we were all looking for. It cursed Hinata. Once we stop the fox, her curse will be broken. Aren't you worried about her? You were very upset when you learned she was missing."

Neji hung from a tree branch by his right arm. His feet dangled over the stretching shadow, unable to reach him. "I do not care about her," he said simply.

"Of course you do. It's the jutsu you're under that's making you feel that way. Or lack thereof..."

Neji climbed onto the branch and sat down. "Why would I waste my time searching? If she is missing, then she is missing. Why would I trouble myself when there are other things that have to be done?"

"There was a time when you cared very much. You were pretty protective of her in recent years."

"For the sake of the mission, I will throw it all away," said Neji, "if it was ordered."

Shikamaru sighed. "This troublesome jutsu is strong... What a pain."

* * *

Naruto charged at Karada at top speed. Karada stood where he was, waiting for him to get closer.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Multiple clones appeared and ran alongside Naruto in a massive crowd. Karada's cloths began snapping. They whipped the clones, sending them away as quickly as they came. Karada smirked as the numbers dwindled down into single digits.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"Again?" Karada scoffed. "How pitiful."

The cloths sent the clones away a second time. Soon Naruto was charging alone. Still determined, he made more clones and led them into battle. With a single whip of his cloth, Karada sent them all away so that Naruto was the only one left. Within striking distance, Naruto jumped, attacking alone. He tried to punch Karada in the face but the cloth got in his way again. It absorbed Naruto's punch and flung him backwards. Another cloth limb caught Naruto and began to juggle him in the air.

Karada laughed like a child at play. He was having fun with this.

Naruto conjured up a single clone and had it threw him in midair to escape the juggle trap. Naruto clung to a branch and jumped down, running alone toward Karada. He made even more clones and sent them ahead of him. Karada kept his eyes on the one that was hanging back, knowing the original was going to do something. Karada stepped onto a cloth which rose up, keeping him off the ground. If Naruto attacked from underground like before, this time Karada wouldn't be standing where he would strike.

The other three cloths lashed out at the clones. The cloth went right through them.

Karada's eyes widened. "So they're not clones?!"

Naruto wasn't using a jutsu this time. He was using fox magic to make illusions of himself to trick Karada.

Karada attacked the one hanging behind the others. This one was also an illusion.

"Gotcha!" Naruto wrapped his body around Karada's back and held on tight. With Karada's limbs attacking at once in a single direction, this left his back open. Karada had no idea when Naruto had made the switch with his clone self or when the fox magic started, but now he had a new problem. He had to get Naruto off his back.

Naruto reached for the necklace but Karada held on tight. His cloth limbs wrapped around Naruto and started pulling. Since Naruto was still holding onto Karada, he couldn't go anywhere without taking him along, too.

"Give me that!" Naruto tried to pry Karada's hands from around the amulet. "Let go!"

"You let go!" Karada bucked, trying to shake Naruto off. The cloth wrapped around Naruto's neck and started strangling him. To save his own life, Naruto let go of Karada and went where the cloth dragged him.

Naruto was thrown into a tree and beaten by the cloth arms. One cloth after another clubbed him over and over. Fueled by rage, Karada kept the beating going even after Naruto had grown quiet.

The cloth stopped and lifted off Naruto's body, stained with his blood. Naruto was still breathing but he wasn't moving. Karada took a deep breath to calm himself and smirked, believing he had won.

Then Naruto started to move. He lifted his head off the ground, spitting out dirt and blood. Karada watched him, curiously.

"Know what?" Naruto asked softly. Groaning, he pulled himself off the ground and looked at Karada. "I feel sorry for you."

Taken aback by this, Karada stared.

"You're being used, too. Just like everyone else. I mean, look at you. Even those cloths around your body make you look like a puppet on strings."

Karada blinked.

"Yeah... I felt sorry for how the village treated you. I get that. I do know how you feel. But I feel more sorry about you being used like this. It isn't right."

"... Used?" Karada said through his teeth.

"Well, yeah." Naruto sat facing him, wiping the dirt from his face. "You seem upset that I said that."

Karada looked insulted when Naruto said he was being used.

"But you are, aren't you? The fox put a curse on you and made you do these things, right?" Naruto gave a soft chuckle. "But that's alright... Right? You were taught in ANBU that a ninja is only a tool to be used as others see fit. You were ashamed of being a broken tool so you wanted to get stronger so they would see you as useful."

"Y... Yeah..."

"So why would you be upset if I said you were being used? Aren't ninjas supposed to be used? Isn't that our job? What we are?"

Karada swallowed. His mouth opened but all that came out were sounds.

"You're upset because you know you're more than that. You know it's wrong. You don't want to be used. Saying such a thing is insulting, isn't it?"

Karada looked at him as if Naruto were reading his personal diary out loud.

"And you know it, don't you?" Naruto pressured. "You know I'm right. You know it's wrong. So why aren't you fighting back? Why don't you do something? Do you like being a puppet on strings? You enjoy this?"

Karada cast his eyes down as if reevaluating his life. Frowning, Karada looked up and growled, "How dare you speak to me that way, ninja of the Leaf?"

The cloth wrapped around Naruto's leg and dragged him across the ground and over to Karada.

"You say 'used'? You call me such things and bring up the things you think I'm feeling? What right do you have to lecture me?" Karada slapped Naruto across the face with a second cloth arm. "I despise the Leaf. I hate it and all who come from there. I want to burn it to the ground and let you all rot! After the things they've done to me without any consideration or provocation... you really think I would ever show mercy? That I would come around and forgive them? That I would get over it?! Is that what you thought?! You think I would just look the other way? That I would stop? Huh?! Is that what you thought?"

Naruto grunted when the cloth slapped him again, harder than before.

"Whatever position I may be in now... It doesn't matter to me," said Karada coldly. "It's still better than what the Leaf put me through. I hate it so much. I would gladly accept anything and any partnership, any power, any position, just to get my revenge. Being used, a puppet... As long as the Leaf and all its people suffer, what do I care?"

Naruto smiled a bitter smile. "You say that... But I know you still care. You have feelings for the village."

"Yeah," scoffed Karada. "Negative feelings."

"No, not that." Naruto stood shakily on his feet. "I told you before. You can't hate something or be mad if you didn't care in the first place. Like I said, you worked hard to protect the Leaf and become a strong ninja. When they took that away from you, you got mad. It's because they locked you away before you had a chance to do something to help the Leaf. You love the Leaf. I know you do. You care about the people in it, also."

Growling, Karada slammed Naruto into the tree behind him with the cloth. This time, Naruto didn't bother blocking.

"What did he do to you?" he asked softly. "The curse you're under. Ryosuke said that a curse can't completely brainwash a person or give them a new personality. A curse takes something away. What did he take from you? Your reasoning skills? Your passion? He took something from you. What did he take? What is your curse?"

Karada slapped Naruto across the face with his cloth.

"I might not know the answer to that. I don't even think you know what it is he took," said Naruto. "But whatever curse you're under, I'm going to break it."

Karada pulled his cloth back for another attack but as he moved in to strike, Naruto zipped away faster than his eye could track. Karada stepped back, looking around. He expected Naruto to attack from behind or above.

Hearing a battle cry, Karada looked forward. Naruto was charging in with more clones. Illusions or the real thing, Karada didn't know or care. He had to get rid of them and stop Naruto. His cloth moved in all directions to attack and defend at the same time. These were real clones which popped as soon as they were struck. The real one took the hit head on and kept going. Naruto would not be stopped.

"You filthy fox-boy!" Karada cursed him. "I'll kill you!"

Naruto's tail appeared and he started using his fox magic to trick Karada. He made more clones of himself and hid among them. Karada's cloths skimmed the ground as they attacked the clones, making sure he tripped the real Naruto if he was sneaking along the ground, fox form or human. Naruto jumped over the cloth and kept running. Another cloth came his way and he jumped on top of it. He ran up the cloth and up to Karada's body. The cloth flicked and swayed, making Naruto's run uneven and difficult. He was thrown off the cloth but he didn't stop. As soon as he landed on the ground, he kept running for Karada, his eyes on the necklace.

"You don't stand a chance!" Karada shouted at him. "Your friends only obey me! Their loyalty lies with me alone! You are nothing to them! The few you have remaining don't stand a chance against my army. They're reluctant to strike whereas mine are more than happy to go all the way if I order it. They will show no mercy where your remaining friends will. They are few in numbers, Naruto! They cannot hope to take on all of them like this. They must be tired by now. This fight has gone on for a while. They're weakening. I have more than enough ninja at my command. They will move in and finish them off while they hunch over, panting for breath."

Naruto dodged every attack Karada threw at him. The only attacks that hit were his words. Naruto knew his friends would eventually get tired and weaken. He had to end this before that happened.

"Do you hear me, Naruto?! They will all die! I will see to that! I will make your friends kill each other! And you will be helpless to stop it! You cannot reason with them! What happened with Sai was a fluke. And I can always get him again. It took you long enough to get through to him. You really think that will happen again?"

Naruto narrowly missed another cloth. It hit the ground hard, creating a hole in the earth.

"I will make them kill those you care about! Those foxes you love so much will die! Ryosuke himself vowed never to hurt a human. You think they will be able to last long under such restrictions? Against those who want to kill and will not hold back? Like that horse! Yamato told me all about that. How he killed it in front of you while you rode atop. He's dead, Naruto! That horse is dead! He did it! He killed him! And he will do it again to someone else! He did it, Naruto! He kills because I command it!"

Naruto grimaced, his heart aching. That wound still hadn't healed yet. Memories of Jack's final moments flashed before his eyes, drawing tears.

"No," Naruto said through his teeth, fighting to remain clam and in control. "He didn't do it. And neither did you... He did. That fox did it. He made you do it. Under his control, he told you to give that command and Captain Yamato did it. So it's the fox's fault. Not his and not yours."

"Is that what you're trying to convince yourself?" Karada taunted. "Granted I did not command him to kill the horse directly. But I did tell him to kill anyone in his way if he saw fit. So technically, he is the one who killed the horse."

"Not under the jutsu, he wouldn't," reasoned Naruto. "Even if you didn't tell him to do it, the jutsu makes it impossible for him not to be cold and unfeeling, right? Make him not care if he hurts someone or not. You put that jutsu on him, but I don't think you would have done that if you weren't being controlled yourself."

"Are you a total idiot?" Karada turned his body in a full circle, using all four cloths to spin with him and attack in a whirlwind of fabric. "My actions are my own. What I do, I do freely. No one is controlling me!"

"Not completely," said Naruto, dodging. "But if you weren't under a curse, I doubt you would do half these things. Whatever that fox took away, it was important."

Karada used his cloth to launch himself into the air like a slingshot. High above Naruto, he struck the ground with his cloth, tearing up the earth in a violent frenzy. Naruto couldn't dodge them all. Naruto disappeared in the barrage of fabric and dust. Several times he was hit. Some cloths pinned him down while others attacked. Naruto took yet another beating.

Karada descended down and landed easily on the ground, cushioned by the cloth. He saw Naruto laying on the ground in fox form, bleeding. He smiled at the sight of his ruffled and bloody fur, pleased. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay down."

Naruto chuckled weakly. "Just ask Sakura..." Naruto got to his feet. "I don't know much of anything.," he smiled.

Clenching his fists, Karada let out an irritated growl. Naruto wasn't giving up. Karada's body was starting to succumb to fatigue. This battle was going on longer than he was prepared for. If his cloth limbs weren't doing most of the fighting, he would have been unable to move by now. Karada didn't have Naruto's stamina, but he liked to think that he had his dedication. He was determined to win just as much as Naruto. The only difference was motive.

Naruto wanted to win for his friends and his home. For Karada, he wasn't sure why he wanted to win other than for the sake of coming out on top. He didn't have much of a reason other than hatred. Hatred he felt towards the Leaf.

Naruto shifted to his human form, but his fox tail was still present. Panting, his looked Karada in the eye. "Is this really what you want?" he asked from the ground. The earth had taken such a beating, the soil had become loose and soft like field soil on farmland. When Naruto put pressure on the earth to raise himself up, his hand sunk into the ground like sand. "Is this really what you want?" he asked again when Karada gave him no answer. "Having people fight each other like this? To torture innocent people."

Karada frowned. "They are not innocent."

"My friends are not the ones who put you in a cage."

"But they come from the Leaf. The same Leaf that betrayed me."

"See? I knew it," said Naruto. "You feel betrayed. Which means you once cared about it."

"Even if that were true, things are different now. Things have changed and so have feelings."

"Feelings you were told to get rid of like Sai was?" Naruto asked. "Because feelings get in the way."

"That's right. Danzo taught both of us that there is only the mission. And destroying the village is my mission."

"Because of what they did to you."

"Why do you keep bringing that up? Yes! I said that already. Must I repeat myself?"

"So you're mad at the Leaf."

"Again, yes!"

Naruto smirked. "But feelings get in the way of the mission. You're better off without them. But being angry at the village is why you're attacking it in the first place."

Karada's mind started to spin. "Wh... what..?" He gave Naruto a hard look, trying to understand.

"Don't you get it, Karada?" Naruto stood up on his two legs. "It's a contradiction. Your whole attack on the Leaf is your personal mission. And you're only doing it because you're so pissed off about what happened to you. Your feelings are fueling your attack. But you said feelings get in the way. Don't you see what I'm saying?"

Whether Karada was grappling with himself or just very confused, Naruto wasn't sure. All he knew was that for a full ten seconds, Karada was completely silent with a look on his face Naruto couldn't place. He looked as if he were staring at his own tombstone. He was trying to make sense of something. Trying to understand. Maybe he was trying to wrap his head around what Naruto was saying.

Just as quickly, Karada became enraged and threw one of this cloths at Naruto's head with a roar. Naruto jumped away. Snarling like a beast, Karada used all his cloth limbs to attack. Naruto dodged a folly of fabric. Karada had the cloth twist in the air to attack Naruto from all directions.

"Fox fire!" Naruto cast an illusion of himself running in the opposite direction. Karada went after both, knowing one was real. "Fox fire!" Naruto cast even more illusions of himself, all running around in different directions. Some even sneaked behind Karada, luring his attention away from the real one. While his cloth attacked from the front, Karada followed the scampering doppelgangers behind him with his eyes, thinking he was going to be attacked from behind.

The real Naruto dug a hole in the ground, trying the same trick he had done before. As he was digging, he knew Karada would be expecting such a trick so he decided to add to it. He didn't have much of a plan. He was just making things up as he went, hoping something would happen.

Karada spotted the hole in the ground. "The hell he will!" He reached into the hole with his cloth and dragged Naruto out by his tail. "As if I'd let you do that trick again!" He knew this was the real Naruto because he had a hold on him. Illusions he would pass right through and if Naruto was any part fox, he couldn't use clones. He wasn't advanced enough to fool any of the other five senses either, so Karada couldn't be fooled into thinking he was holding something that wasn't there.

Naruto kicked and thrashed and Karada whipped him around in the air by his tail. Karada used another cloth to wrapped around Naruto's neck. He was going to pull him apart. The cloth pulled Naruto tight and a third one reached up and punched Naruto hard in the stomach. His body pulled tight and held in place, he couldn't absorb the blow. With nowhere to go, Naruto's neck snapped.

Karada started to laugh. He won the fight. He knew he would.

POP!

"Ah?!" Karada gasped as Naruto disappeared from his cloth. "A clone?!"

That was impossible. If Naruto had a fox tail, he couldn't use jutsu.

"Fooled you!" Naruto called from the ground. He sprang straight up and wrapped around Karada's torso. "I altered my clone to give him a fox tail so you would think it was really me in a part transformation. Smart, huh?"

Karada couldn't move his arms. He was pinned. He growled at Naruto. "What wasn't smart was getting so close to me. You think you're safe, but you're not. I don't have to pull you off of me. I can just choke you here!"

The cloth wrapped around Naruto's neck and pulled tight.

Before Karada could gloat, another Naruto appeared from behind. Karada didn't know which was the clone and which was real so he had to strangle them both. The cloth went after the new one who ran away. The cloth followed him around and between the trees.

"You like how this is going?" came Naruto's voice. "You wanted a war? And what about the Sand? What that your idea, too? What does the Sand have to do with any of this?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" Karada lashed out at the voice above him and saw Naruto run away. He sent his cloth after him.

As he did so, another Naruto appeared to his left and threw a punch at him. His remaining cloth blocked the blow and swatted Naruto away like a fly. Karada looked around. Some had tails and some didn't. He had no idea who was a clone and who was the real thing. He felt very confused and overwhelmed.

"You're sweating. Is this too much for you?"

"Shut up!" Karada swatted at the Naruto zipping around him. He heard wind rushing behind him and wrapped himself in a cocoon of cloth when Naruto tried to use his Rasengan. Karada survived the hit and used the cloth to whip this Naruto across the face. This Naruto popped and was no longer an issue. Karada looked around for the others.

He looked down at the hole in the ground Naruto was using to tunnel under him. Thinking one, real or not, was hiding inside, Karada used his remaining cloth to snake into the hole and flush it out. The hole was empty but still a good hiding place. He had better keep an eye on this hole just in case.

"You like being a puppet?" came Naruto's voice again.

Karada looked around, trying to find the one that was speaking to him. There was no one in front or behind him. He looked above and saw one hopping from tree to tree, taunting him. Karada quickly looked to the one gasping for breath in his coiled cloth. It hadn't disappeared yet. It could have been the real Naruto. The other two cloths were still chasing Narutos around the trees and the fourth and final cloth was still blocking the hole in the ground.

He thought he understood Naruto's plan. He was trying to keep him confused, then jump into the hole when the chance came and attack from below. As long as the hole was plugged, he should be safe from such an attack. All these Naruto clones were confusing him. Naruto's taunts weren't making things any easier. He felt confused and irritated.

"I do feel sorry for you," Naruto said again. "If it weren't for that fox, you wouldn't be doing this. You're nothing more than his puppet."

"I thought I told you to shut up!" shouted Karada. "I do what I feel like!"

"Admit it! You still have feelings for the Leaf!"

"Only negative feelings!"

"Because you cared about it! You loved the village! Everything you did, you did for the Leaf! You became strong for the Leaf! Trained for the Leaf! Became a ninja for the Leaf!"

"Stop talking!" Karada whipped the cloth still holding one of the Narutos into the trees, knocking down branches. "You're so annoying! Just fight me for real and stop with these tricks!"

"I thought you could handle anything I threw at you. Taking it back?"

"No!" Karada's head was spinning again. He felt dizzy. Listening to Naruto and having to fight and keep track of all these clones was too much. He was frail to begin with but everything happening at once like this...

His head didn't feel clear. He felt so overwhelmed. The things Naruto was saying... The clones...

"The Leaf started it!" Karada screamed. "It's because of them! They started it!"

It was true. The Leaf did start it. If only Karada wasn't locked up. Then the kitsune would have had no reason to free him and put a curse on him. They wouldn't be using him to attack. This battle would have never started.

"Well, I'm ending it!"

Gasping, Karada turned to face forward. Naruto had launched himself from the trees ahead, straight towards Karada. It was the real one. Naruto was launching a forward attack on him.

Karada tried to block but something was wrong. His cloths weren't moving. Turning his head to look, he saw the clones pulling the fabric tight around the tree trunks. They had weaved so much, the cloth was stretched out between trees and pulled tight. It couldn't gain any momentum like this. The clones were making sure the cloth couldn't unravel itself to coil back to Karada's body. He was exposed. That was Naruto's plan all along. He made Karada lose his focus so it would be easier to trick him like this.

The hole. The hole was never meant to be used as Karada thought it would be. It was a distraction. That was its purpose. To fool him into thinking it was going to be used for an attack. His one remaining cloth was clogging it up to prevent such an attack. Quickly, Karada pulled it out of the ground to defend himself.

He lifted the cloth out of the hole and slapped the attacking Naruto out of the air. It was a powerful strike to make sure Naruto would not come back. It was so strong, the action of the cloth had pulled Karada slightly to one side with its momentum. The amulet around his neck dangled in front of him, sparkling in the sunlight Karada let in when he tore down the branches.

Naruto was thrown out of the air and far away from Karada. Before Karada could take a breath, he saw a second Naruto in the shadow of the first.

That Naruto was a distraction, too! Its purpose was to force Karada to attack it with his remaining cloth to create an opening for the real one right behind.

Roaring, Naruto brought his fist behind his head and threw it forward in a powerful punch.

Karada's cloth couldn't be brought back in time to protect him. It was too far away, having delivered such a powerful strike. Karada had to handle it himself, but what could he do?

Seeing the punch come closer to him, Karada leaned as far back as he could. With his movement, the amulet was thrown into the air, in perfect alinement with Karada's jaw.

Naruto locked eyes with Karada for a split second. He remembered everything that had happened because of him. Everything this man had caused. The manipulation, the attacks, Jack's death. Everything. It was cruel, it was horrible, it was sickening. Naruto wanted it all to stop so much. He wanted to put an end to Karada's rein for so long. To get back to his normal life with his friends in his home. Just this one person managed to effortlessly disrupt all of that and caused so much destruction.

Yet he couldn't hate him. He pitied him. He felt sorry for him. Knowing what Karada had been through and what he was going through now made Naruto's heart ache with sadness.

He knew Karada wasn't doing this on purpose. He was being manipulated, too. He was also a victim. He wasn't the ultimate villain. He was being used by the ultimate villain. It wasn't his fault.

Naruto's final attack wasn't meant to hurt him. It was meant to free him.

"Enough!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs. "I'm ending it!"

Naruto saw his fist's reflection it the surface of the purple jewel.

"I'm getting everything back!"

Naruto's fist made contact with the jewel's surface which was then plowed into Karada's face. The amulet was sandwiched between Naruto's knuckles and Karada's face.

Karada's head jerked backwards along with the rest of his body. The clones popped and the cloth unraveled, returning to their master. They flowed like waves towards him and wrapped loosely around his body to cushion the fall but they were weakened as well. Karada skipped like a stone across the ground, landing on his shoulder, back, knee, head and stomach before finally coming to a stop. He landed face-down on top of one cloth while the others fell around him like wilting flowers.

Naruto landed on the ground on both feet and watched Karada's fall. He kept his eye on him, watching and waiting.

He had won the fight but the battle wasn't over yet. Just before Karada was blasted away from that punch, Naruto, just for a split second, felt fur under his knuckles.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32:**

Sakura stumbled over a fallen branch and braced herself against a tree. Lee's kick tore the tree in half. He landed in front of Sakura and pulled back for a punch. Sakura shrieked and fell backwards into the tree, covering her head with her arms. She had been battling and avoiding him for so long that she no longer had the strength to do it anymore. She was exhausted from running and evading. Lee was a powerful ninja and a good friend. Two reasons she didn't want to fight him.

Lee pulled back his fist and sent it forward. Suddenly, Lee made a small noise in his throat that sounded like a cross between a gasp and a yelp. His fist made an abrupt turn over her head and smashed a low hanging branch from the tree instead.

"S- Sakura?"

Sakura lifted her head, looking at him with fearful uncertainty, but there was hope in her heart. "Y- yeah?"

Lee's eyes filled with tears and he fell to his knees. "Oh, Sakura! I am so sorry! I do not know what I was thinking! I could have... Did I hurt you? I hope not! Sakura, please forgive me! I did not mean it!"

Sakura wasn't upset with him. She was overjoyed. Seeing him behave like this, shedding tears of regret and apologizing proved that he was back to his normal self. Lee recognized her as a friend. He no longer wished to hurt her.

"Lee! You're back! I'm so happy!" She no longer had to run for her life or fight him. She had her friend back. She was so thrilled and relieved that she threw her arms around him in a hug.

This made Lee pause for a moment of shock, then start bawling all over again. He wrapped his arms around her and wailed in her ear, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Lee... Lee, you can calm down..."

He sobbed hysterically.

Sakura sighed, patting his back. "Yup. You're back alright..." Sakura rolled her eyes with a small smile.

A short distance away, Shikamaru was still facing Neji who evaded his shadow at every turn. It was impossible to pin him down. Even when he held still for a moment, it wasn't long enough. There was no way to sneak up on him and Shikamaru was getting tired of trying.

Finally they faced each other, ready with an attack. Neji's hands were raised, preparing to strike. Then, the determined look on his face disappeared. Neji lowered his hands, the urge to fight gone. "Shikamaru?"

Knowing what this meant, Shikamaru dropped his guard and exhaled loudly. He was so relieved. "Back to normal, huh?"

Neji looked around at the other ninja nearby. They, too, were freed and no longer wished to fight. Neji turned back to Shikamaru. "I was coming at you with full force. You ok?"

"Fine." This must have been Neji's attempt at an apology without actually saying the word 'sorry'. Shikamaru understood and didn't have to hear it. There were no hard feelings between them.

At the same time, Kakashi was trying to defend against two ninja at once. He had shaken the third one but Gai and Yamato were more difficult. Gai was facing him now but he had lost sight of Yamato. He had a gut feeling Yamato was going to attack him from behind and was ready to use Gai as a shield if he needed to.

"Heads up, Sempai!"

Kakashi heard the warning and stepped to the side. Yamato zoomed straight into Gai on his way down from the tree. His foot landed on Gai's chest and sent him backwards. Neither were hurt too badly and were up in seconds. Kakashi watched them, knowing Yamato wouldn't have warned him if he meant to hurt him.

Yamato turned to Kakashi with a concerned look on his face. "I didn't hurt you, did I? Sorry about that. Are you ok?"

Kakashi chuckled, knowing everything was alright. "I'm fine. No worries."

"I have no idea why I did that. You know I would never hurt you on purpose like that. For some reason, I didn't care. It was like I had no connection. I can't explain it."

"Don't worry about it," Kakashi told him.

Gai shoved Yamato out of his way. "I have to agree. I have no idea what that was. It wasn't anything like our normal battles. Though I may always try my best to defeat you, my rival, I would never come at you with the intent to kill. That is going too far. Oh, and how life is so short! We must savor every precious moment in our youthful-"

"What stopped us?" Yamato asked, cutting Gai off. "Why did we return to our senses? What happened?"

Kakashi turned his head, looking beyond the trees. "Naruto," he said simply. "He must have won and broke the jutsu."

"Naruto did?" Yamato suddenly gasped. "Oh, no! I just remembered..! I remember everything I did. I went to that mountain and tried to assassinate the prince who lived there. And before that, I tried to use Naruto to kill everyone, including his friends. I didn't seal away his power when he got out of control. I wanted him to lose it. I let the chakra of the Nine-Tails... What was I thinking? I would never do such a thing. I understand. I know better than to-"

"It wasn't your fault," Kakashi assured him. "And he knows that. I'm sure he understands."

"I have to apologize in person when I get the chance. I feel just horrible about that..."

Kakashi looked over Yamato's shoulder, catching a glimpse of Sakura running into the trees. No doubt she was racing to Naruto. Kakashi decided to leave her alone and see to the other ninja. Many of them were injured in the fight and needed attention.

Gai pressed close to Kakashi. "You realize, of course, that this little spat that we had just now doesn't count towards our usual dueling, right Kakashi? So at the moment, we're still tied. I'll have to challenge you to settle things because this one didn't count towards that. You see, because I wasn't in my right mind-"

"I know, Gai."

"So I am not responsible for my actions."

"I get that."

"Therefore, the actions I took are not-"

"I get it, Gai."

"It doesn't count so I must challenge you to-"

"I got it!"

In the meantime, Temari was searching for her little brother, worried sick and in desperate need to apologize. "Gaara! Where's Gaara?"

"Down here."

Temari looked down and saw a small raccoon at her feet. When it spoke using her brother's voice, she shrieked and jumped away as if he were a bomb.

"Watch it!" he yelled. "Don't step on me! I've been through enough today."

"Gaara?!"

He sighed. "Yeah." He didn't sound the least bit thrilled.

"Oh..!" Temari bent down and picked him up in her arms. She saw blood on his fur and dirt all over his body. "Oh, what happened to you?" She was mostly concerned about why he was a raccoon more than why he was bloody.

"It's a long story."

Kankuro came over to his sister and looked at the talking animal in her arms. "Damn, so it wasn't a dream. Gaara really is a raccoon."

Temari rounded on him, furious. "What happened to him?! What did you do?!"

"Me?!"

"I saw you use your puppet on him before! You could have hurt him!"

"I didn't mean to! And you attacked him, too, you know!"

She hugged Gaara to her chest. "I know! And I'm sorry for that! I'm so sorry."

"You're forgiven, now stop hugging me."

Temari stopped but she still looked sad. "Oh, what's going to happen to you now? You're a raccoon..!"

"Believe me, I've come to grips with that myself. It really isn't so bad once you get used to it. Except for wanting to climb trees and eat from trashcans. Other than that..."

"Is there a way to change you back?" asked Kankuro. "Are you stuck like this? How did this happen to you?"

Gaara was about to answer when Kankuro turned away, looking at something else. Gaara followed his gaze to a two-tailed fox peered out from behind a tree. Gaara recognized him as Seki, the one who cursed him. He must have been coming to reverse the curse.

Thinking it was a threat, Kankuro drew a weapon to chase it off. Seki saw the blade and hid.

"Wait! Don't!" Gaara cried, trying to stop his brother. If Seki ran away, there was no hope of curing him. "He can change me back!"

Kankuro stopped. "He can?"

"Yes, but only if you drop your weapon." Gaara understood why Seki was so frightened of weapons without having to know about his past. Gaara felt the same fear as an animal. He never had to fear for his life quite like this before.

Obeying his brother and the Kazekage, Kankuro lowered his weapon. Seki peered around the tree but still wouldn't approach. He was fearful of humans.

"It's ok," Gaara assured, hoping he would come out.

Seki looked at something behind him then started to ease slowly out from behind the tree. He stopped and looked back. A second, smaller fox was behind the tree with him. This one looked scared. Seki went back to the tree and nuzzled the smaller fox. It was his younger brother, Reki. He must have thought the humans were going to kill his brother. Something Reki had seen happen before.

Kankuro was getting impatient. He wanted the fox to do something besides stand there and stare at them.

Then a whole herd of them came running from between the trees and away from the humans. Now that the jutsu wasn't in effect, they were no longer needed. They were fleeing from the humans, getting to a safe place. Seki pushed his bother in that direction. Reki followed the kitsune out of the area.

Before joining them himself, Seki quickly dashed over to Gaara, jumped up and touched his paw to Gaara's body. He was taking back the curse.

Gaara's body suddenly grew back to his normal human size. He and Temari fell to the ground, Gaara landing on top of her since she was still holding him.

Seki jumped away and joined the other kitsune. By the time Gaara looked up, they were all gone.

* * *

Naruto crouched down, keeping his eyes on Karada. He wasn't moving. Even his cloth seemed listless. Cautiously, Naruto approached. He took two steps then stopped and remained crouched like an animal.

Karada twitched.

Naruto's fox ears perked up.

"Naruto!" Sakura came running from the trees and over to him. She stopped where he was and saw Karada laying a few feet away. When he started to move, Sakura reached in her bag for a kunai.

"Wait." Naruto held up his hand, stopping her.

He wanted to see what would happen next. He wanted to see what Karada would do.

Very slowly, Karada started to get up. Groaning, he lifted himself up onto his elbow. He hung his head weakly for a moment, then he raised himself up a little higher. The cloth helped him into a sitting position and caught him when he wobbled. He sat, looking at the ground, his hands supporting him.

Karada lifted his head. He looked the other way so Naruto couldn't see his face. Then he turned, facing them.

Karada's face looked different from before. He didn't look smug, or enraged or cruel. He looked like he had just woken up. His eyes weren't filled with hatred, but confusion.

His eyes started to become more clear. Then he started to speak. "Did I..?" he started slowly. "What did I..?" Then he looked at Naruto, his eyes full of confusion and regret. "I used my jutsu, didn't I?"

"Yeah," Naruto said with a nod.

"I see." Karada tried to stand but his legs wouldn't move. When he tried to sit up without having to relay on his arms, he started to fall over. The cloth caught him and helped him back into an upright position. Karada supported himself with his arms, unable to sit up without them.

He looked very weak. Sitting up was taking all his strength. The effort to sit without supporting himself made him pant. Naruto wondered how someone so weak could put up that much of a fight. It was all he could do to sit up.

"The jutsu's over now," Sakura said, mostly to Naruto. "Everyone's back to normal and have stopped fighting."

Naruto was relieved but didn't feel satisfied.

He looked at Karada. "So you remember using the jutsu." It wasn't a question.

Karada nodded. "I remember everything I did. Mostly."

"Everything?" Naruto couldn't stop himself from asking. He had to know. "Do you know who let you out of your cell?"

Karada took his time in answering. "It was a fox."

Naruto knew it. He knew Karada couldn't break out on his own, but knowing that Kakashi was possessed, wanted to know if the fox had released Karada while he was still in Kakashi's body or if it had been done another way.

"Tell me what happened," Naruto said.

Karada was acting differently from before. He was a lot more compliant and meek.

"I was in my cell. My cell has no windows so I don't know what time it was. I often lose track. The only contact I ever have is through the little slot where people bring my meals. Sometimes I talk to the person through the little flap. Other times, it's when the door opens and I'm taken out for different reasons. Like having my cell cleaned, a check-up, or something. But there's a few ninja who come when that happens and my hands are bound the whole time. But sometimes I get visitors. But they only talk to me through the meal flap. They're not allowed in and I can't go out. This time was different. The door to my cell opened. But there was no one there. No guard, no ninja. Just an open door. Then I heard a voice call to me. That's when I saw the fox looking at me from atop the open door."

"What did it say to you?" asked Naruto.

"He... told me to get out. He said I was free to leave my cell. Free to get revenge on the village."

"So you left."

Karada shook his head. "I refused."

Naruto wasn't expecting to hear that. He figured someone who was wrongfully imprisoned would jump at the chance to leave when it presented itself. Karada did not. He remained in his cell, even when the door was wide open and someone told him he was free to go.

"I told the fox I was still serving my sentence. I couldn't leave. I wasn't allowed. That was against the rules," said Karada. "The fox told me that I should be free and take revenge on the humans who put me in there. But I told him that I didn't want revenge. It was explained to me why I was going to be in a cell and I accepted. I went with them willingly because they told me so. The only way I would be allowed to leave is if they came and told me that my time was served or if they had need of me."

"Do you know why you were locked up in the first place?" Naruto wasn't sure if the ninja had lied to him about his incarceration or not.

"Because of my jutsu," he answered. "The higher-ups were concerned I would be a threat. That was why I was imprisoned. They said it was for the good of the village and all its ninja. So I was put in a cell." Karada looked down. "My sensei... I asked if there was any way I would be allowed to leave. He told me there was a chance. If they saw how I was... If I could prove that I was not a threat, then maybe one day they would let me go. So there was a chance. So I went with them willingly to my cell and did everything they told me to do. I never made a fuss."

Karada knew why he was imprisoned. The ninja had told him the truth and not some lie to get in to come along. They didn't trick him. Karada knew full-well what was going on and accepted it.

"When the fox told me to leave I said I couldn't. If I did, then the ninja would think that I had broken out and would be upset with me. If I left my cell when I wasn't given permission, it could change everything and I might never get out. All my hard work would be for nothing. They would think I was a threat. Only if the higher-ups came to let me out would I ever leave. Otherwise, I didn't have permission. I didn't want to disobey. It could ruin everything."

The question Sakura had was if Karada was doing this to have a certain image or was this real? Was Karada putting on an act, being obedient, or was Karada just a good ninja who didn't want to disappoint?

Naruto believed that this wasn't an act. Someone like Karada, who wanted to be seen as useful and a good ninja would never try to fool the higher-ups. Obeying them was genuine. Not an act. He wanted to please them, so it was very believable that he would do whatever they said.

"So even when the door was wide open, you didn't leave."

Karada nodded his head. "Correct. By the ninja who put me in there. Therefore, I was not allowed to leave." Karada paused for a moment. "Then the fox told me that I could get revenge on them for putting me in there. I told him I had no desire to do that. The fox got upset and asked if I was angry at all with the ninja for imprisoning me. Asked if I wanted revenge. I told him no. I understood why they put me in a cell. I may not have fully agreed, but I understood. That's the thing about being in solitary confinement. You have lots of time to think. I would be lying if I said I wasn't upset about their ruling. But it was their choice. Even my own sensei vouched for me. He didn't want me locked up either but it was out of his hands. He didn't make the final call."

Even Karada's sensei didn't want him thrown in jail for something he didn't do. He was just following orders from people of a higher rank than himself.

"What they said made sense," Karada went on. "I understood why they would think that and why they would be scared. I might not have agreed with their choice but I understood it. I couldn't blame them. I know how powerful and dangerous my jutsu can be. But I worked hard on it so I would be a strong and useful ninja. So I was angry that I wasn't able to show it off and help them more. I was locked up before I had the chance. In that, I was upset. There were times when I was in my cell that I got angry and had bitter thoughts. Even towards my sensei for letting them do this to me. But I knew it wasn't his fault. He didn't make the choice. He didn't have the final say. People of a higher rank than himself have the authority. They can overrule him. To blame him would be wrong. A mistake. I would be angry at the wrong person. Part of me thought at times that he could have disobeyed them but I knew that was wrong. He would get in big trouble for that. Again, it wasn't his choice."

Karada was a very understanding person. He knew that being angry with his own sensei didn't make any sense. He wasn't the one who decided things. It was a 'shoot the messenger' kind of thing in Naruto's eyes. Karada was pretty level-headed. When he was feeling especially down, he would think negative thoughts but that was to be expected. Naruto had times when he felt that way, too. Karada would feel betrayed and angry but he didn't act on such thoughts because he knew it would be wrong. Not only was he understanding but he had a desire to please others. That was why he obeyed when they told him to get in the cell. From the little Naruto knew about him, he understood why Karada would behave a certain way.

Karada's body was weak so he was told he would never be a ninja. Karada wanted to be a ninja and help his village. He worked hard to get stronger. He wanted their approval. When they responded positively, it must have meant the world to him. He was finally getting noticed. Naruto could understand that. When Karada became stronger because of his jutsu, the other ninja started to think he would become a threat and treated him like a monster. Naruto understood that, too. What he understood most of all was Karada's will to not become the threat they thought he was. That was why he didn't leave his cell and why he didn't use the jutsu on anyone. He didn't want to prove them right and have everything change. That was why Naruto didn't use his power to attack people. Using the power of the Nine-Tails to get his way or to force people to make him Hokage was a temptation but something he would never do. Karada must have been the same way. And just like Naruto, Karada cared about the village. He didn't want to hurt it.

"I told the fox that taking revenge would be a stupid idea. Not only that, but attacking the village wouldn't make sense. I would be attacking innocent people who had nothing to do with putting me in a cell. Like children who were born after I was locked away. How would it be their fault? Or the adults who didn't even know who I was and never knew I existed. How were they to blame? Many people had no say in what went on so why would I harm them?" Karada got a pained look on his face. "When the fox ordered me out of the cell again and I still refused, he came in. He touched my knee with his paw. It was glowing with a strange light... like flame."

"He put a curse on you," Naruto said.

Karada looked into Naruto's eyes. "A curse..? When I saw the fox and heard him talk... I thought he was like a ninja hound or something. A lot of summoned animals can speak, so I didn't think much of it. I had never seen a ninja fox before so that part I thought was strange. But when I saw his paw glow like that, I was curious. It didn't look like any chakra I had ever seen before."

"That's because it wasn't chakra," said Naruto. "It was fox fire."

Karada continued as if he hadn't heard Naruto's explanation. "I thought it was strange. That glow. Then I didn't question it anymore." The pained look on Karada's face had returned. "Suddenly... all I could feel was rage. When I thought of the people who tossed me in a cell, I felt nothing but hate. I didn't condone what they had done and wanted revenge. Even my sensei... I was angry that he hadn't broken the rules or found a way to get me out of this. It was like the logic and reasoning had left me. Whenever I felt any anger towards him in the past, it would go away when I reasoned that he couldn't break the rules and him not having a say made it not his fault. But that part was gone. All I felt was anger. Against him, the higher-ups and the village as a whole. All I wanted was revenge. I wanted to get back at them. If they thought I was a threat, then I would become that threat. So I left my cell and followed the fox."

Now it made sense. Naruto thought he had finally figured out the curse Karada was put under. "He took away your compassion and understanding."

Karada lifted his head. "What?"

"It makes sense. Ryosuke told me that a fox can't brainwash someone completely. If a kitsune puts a curse on someone, they're taking something away, like speech, sight, jutsu, intelligence. But emotions are also part of the mind, like a person's intellect. To get you to want to attack the Leaf, the kitsune took away all the emotions that would talk you out of wanting to do such a thing. He took it away and locked it up so all you could feel was rage. That fueled your attack." Naruto felt he had cracked the code. "I knew it. When I fought you one of the times, you remembered that your job as a ninja was to protect your village and its people. It looked like you were conflicted. Almost like part of you was trying to talk yourself out of it. But you didn't have those emotions to help you think rationally. So you were a mess. I think the fox was trying to cut the emotions you felt towards the Leaf and human beings. Maybe. But emotions are complicated. Maybe that was why you were having such a rough time."

Karada wasn't thinking clearly before. A part of him knew something was wrong but the rational part of him had been switched off so he wouldn't question it or consider that what he was doing was wrong. That it wasn't him.

It was all overwhelming. Karada started to slump to the side, but his cloth caught him and held him up.

"Those things still act on their own," Sakura commented.

"This?" Karada pointed to the cloth supporting his body. "It's another jutsu I can use but they didn't think it would be very useful. It's a cloth manipulation jutsu. I can cast it on fabric and use it to act according to my will. They punch harder than I do, ironically. Sometimes they act independent of my will so my sensei said that it's not a complete jutsu. Not if I can't fully control it. But since it protects me, I always thought it was a successful jutsu and very useful."

Sakura looked at the cloth propping him up. "A part of me was starting to wonder if it was the fox's doing. Then Shikamaru said it was the necklace you were wearing. I thought it was one of our friends that had been cursed. Turns out it was him."

"The necklace?" Karada looked down. He opened a part of his torn clothing, showing everyone his bare chest. The amulet was gone.

"He's gone!" Naruto gasped. He wasn't with Karada anymore. That must have been why he was no longer under a curse. That meant one of two things. Either Naruto had killed the fox, which he highly doubted, or it no longer had a purpose for Karada and released him.

"The kitsune must have run off." Sakura looked around. "I don't see the amulet anywhere."

Naruto sniffed his knuckles. When he had punched Karada, he had punched him through the amulet. Which meant his knuckles had touched the kitsune so maybe his scent had rubbed off onto Naruto's hand. Naruto tried to get a scent but all he could smell was his own flesh, dirt and a little bit of Karada.

There was still a chance. The kitsune would smell similar to Karada having been around him for so long, but Karada was here. Which meant, in theory, if Karada's scent left the area, it would be the fox. Naruto started sniffing. The freshly unearthed dirt was blocking his sense of smell. Then he smelled something fresh. Karada mixed with something else. Like the fur found in Hinata's bedroom.

Naruto lifted his head and saw something run between the trees and into the woods. The fox was trying to escape. If he jumped into someone's body or continued running, it was all over. Naruto had to catch him now.

"Stay here!" Naruto told Sakura and Karada. He shifted into fox form and ran into the woods.

He couldn't let the fox escape.

* * *

The end is coming soon!

Please review! ^-^


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33:**

He couldn't let the fox escape.

The race between the trees reminded Naruto of hunting on the mountain and in the forest. It was the same thing in this case. He was hunting the fox. He ran as fast as he could. He saw the fox's fur and sped up, his four legs stretching as far as they could go. He was racing with another kitsune. Just like on the mountain. Everything the kitsune did at play prepared them for life. Taught them to hunt, to hide, to run, to live. They made things into games but when the real thing happened, they would be ready. Games and a serious situation. They were prepared for both. Naruto was prepared for both. Catching a mouse, a hunter, a kitsune. It was all the same. Racing against or with a kitsune, it was the same to him as well. Hunting or racing, he had to catch his target.

Naruto darted to the lift and jumped over a bush when the kitsune prepared to go under it. Roaring, Naruto pounced on the kitsune's back and tried to pin him down. The kitsune kicked and scratched but Naruto wasn't going anywhere. The kitsune rolled, trying to take Naruto with him. Naruto stepped backwards to avoid being tripped. Then the kitsune bit Naruto's face and kicked him in the chest. Free, the kitsune started running again.

"Get back here!" Naruto chased him down again. Naruto grabbed him with his paws and the kitsune bucked and rolled. They tackled each other, kicked and scratched and bit. The kitsune bit Naruto's ear and pulled. Yelping, Naruto lost his grip and slapped the kitsune across the face with his paw. The kitsune rolled to his feet and took off again.

As Naruto started chasing it again, he noticed that the kitsune's path was blocked. Not by trees or bushes, but by the ones standing between them. The kitsune from the mountain had returned and blocked the enemy with their bodies. When the fox ran one way, three kitsune would stand between the trees to block his path. When he went a different way, more kitsune came and stood in his path. The kitsune stood in the middle, looking around. All the kitsune were surrounding him. He had nowhere to go.

Naruto looked around. The kitsune had formed a circle around the enemy and weren't going to let him leave. Now it was just like hunting on the mountain with them. They all worked together, blocking the path of their prey. They were a team that stayed together as one.

"It's all over, foxy jerk!" Naruto called. "Give up!"

The kitsune turned around, pinning his ears back. "My name is Oruno. And I am not surrendering. Not to a mock fox like you!"

The kitsune surrounding him barked and hissed, defending Naruto. They were outraged at the insult directed at their friend. As far as they were concerned, Naruto was one of them.

"After everything you've done, you think I'm just going to let you run off?" Naruto growled. "You turned my friends against me. Made them try to kill me and everyone else!"

"Karada did that."

"Only because you made him!" Naruto snapped.

"Well, I had no choice! I thought that weak little human would want to get back at the village but apparently he was too weak to do that, too," said Oruno. "After we checked those files, we found the perfect ninja would could help. Mikale took over your sensei's body so no dog could detect us and so if we were attacked, Mikale wouldn't get hurt. Smart, right? Otherwise, we would have transformed into him to fool the humans into letting us into a restricted area. Of course, even after I put that curse on Karada, he was still too weak to move very much. What do you expect after being in a tiny cage for years? Plus, he's not in the best of health to begin with. So I took him away from the village until he was strong enough to do some damage. Of course, not in the village. That would have been foolish. He wasn't ready for that. We needed more ninja first. So imagine how happy I was when I found out that search teams were going into the woods to look for the cursed people who were still missing."

Naruto hissed, showing his teeth.

"It was easy," Oruno went on. "Sai was the first one Karada got his hands on. I kept tabs on things but with that shameless fur-ball getting too close, I had to skedaddle."

Oruno was looking at Seki when he said that. The kitsune stood beside his younger brother, glaring.

This proved that Seki's constant search wasn't in vain. Since he kept Oruno moving, he didn't have time to do any further damage. He was constantly on the run.

"Then Karada started to weaken a little. Though he couldn't break the curse, it looked like the curse was breaking him. Such a frail body... So I thought it would be smart if we helped each other out. So I turned myself into an amulet and had Karada put me around his neck for safekeeping. I figured if something were to happen to him again, I would either influence him or put a new and stronger curse on him. He would be in less danger as well. Less blows to his weak body. Plus, I would be safe since there's no way you would attack if you thought the object around his neck was a cursed friend of yours. Right, Naruto?"

This time the kitsune joined Naruto in his hissing. They were just as angered as he was. How dare Oruno use a horrible trick like that. Pretending to be a cursed comrade to render Naruto helpless. That was despicable.

"How heartless can you be?!" shouted Sonar. "Do you not know what it's like to have someone you care about be cursed into an object? Then fear causing their death with a simple crack? The fear and uncertainly? Have you no idea? No shame?"

More than half of these kitsune were once victims of a curse before. They knew all too well what it was like. The kitsune who weren't cursed had suffered as well. Not knowing what they were cursed into being and the fear of breaking something because it could have been their friend. There was so much more than that. It was no wonder the kitsune had no tolerance for what Oruno had done. It was beyond shameful. Pretending to be a friend who was cursed in order to keep himself safe. How heartless.

"I wanted to keep myself safe. Especially after Mikale was killed. Like you wouldn't have done the same thing."

"We wouldn't have taken anything this far!"

"We would have never done the things you have done!"

"How dare you?!"

"The things you were doing are just outrageous!"

"Have you no shame?"

"Come on!" Oruno shouted over them. "All you had to do was give us the mountain and we could have avoided all of this! It's really your fault this happened. But you didn't want things to end peacefully, did you?"

"Peace?"

The kitsune parted in one section, allowing Ryosuke to have a path. He stepped forward and the kitsune closed the gap once he was in the circle. As he stepped forward, Oruno took a step back. Ryosuke's mere presence was like a challenge. His greater number of tails was intimidating.

"You say peace?" Ryosuke said to Oruno. "You claim that if we had given you the mountain, there would have been peace? If we gave you the mountain like you demanded, you would have tortured the humans who lived below. You said so yourself. You and Mikale. You wanted the mountain for its location. Right on top of a human town. Lots of room to roam, animals and plants to eat, water, and a thriving human town you could torment. If we had surrendered the mountain, the humans would have suffered."

"What do you care? They are humans. Kitsune pull pranks. Have done so for years! Are you turning against your very nature?"

"A kitsune can be benevolent or mischievous. But you... you seek to be mischievous and take it a step further. The things I've seen today alone prove that you are not worthy of the mountain. Not only that, but we were there first. You wanted to kick us out of our home, simply because you wanted it for yourself. Talk about fairness."

Oruno glared at him but didn't make a sound.

"I have seen what can happen when a kitsune's prank gets out of control. What it can do to people and to kitsune. Your pranks are not in good humor."

"Says who?"

"Scaring someone half to death with horrible images is not a prank! It is cruel!"

Naruto knew what Ryosuke was talking about. When Reevo was alive, he pulled gruesome pranks on an old woman, showing her horrific images when she had a heart condition. Finally it became too much and she died. Reevo never let up and when she passed, he was still laughing and mocked her. Her husband became very bitter and lashed out at anyone, human or animal. After what had happened to her, he hated foxes. No one could blame him for that under those circumstances. When the offerings stopped and the kitsune were forced to enter the town or starve, the old man took action. When he heard them rummaging through the trash, he came out with his knife and killed Seki and Reki's older brother, then mounted his pelt on the wall.

This example alone proved how this kitsune's brand of pranks could become disastrous. There were consequences. The pranks had to be in good taste otherwise things would get out of hand. If Oruno wanted to pull the same pranks Reevo did, there was no way someone wasn't going to end up hurt. It made Naruto sick just picturing the possibilities.

"So what?" Oruno said. "I don't care if I hurt humans."

"But they could come after you if you push them far enough."

"Then I'll kill them."

"What about the kitsune who suffer when humans associate all kitsune with you? Thinking we are all bad?"

"Not my problem!" snapped Oruno. "I do what I want, when I want. I'm in it for the fun."

"Hurting people is fun for you?"

"Of course it is! Why do you think I did all this? Just to get back at you? Ha! I also did it because it was entertaining. I brought that mock fox's village to its knees. I turned his friends into murders! I brought tears and pain to them! I nearly killed the prince of your land. I burned the human homes to the ground. All because I could! A kitsune has the power to do so!"

"Just because you can doesn't mean you should!" Ryosuke snapped.

Ryosuke could have been like Reevo. Karada could have turned on the village and become the threat they feared he would be. Naruto could have used the power of the Nine-Tails to destroy. They were capable, but they chose not to. It all came down to choice. That was why it made no sense to punish someone because they could do something. Of course there was always going to be an argument on why they should wait for something to happen and get rid of the problem before it is a problem, but Naruto still believed in giving someone a chance. They could become a powerful enemy or a wonderful friend.

Naruto thought about Karada. If the ninja hadn't imprisoned him in the first place, he would have had no anger or reason to attack the village, and Oruno's curse wouldn't have worked. This further proved Naruto's point about giving someone a chance.

The enemy kitsune have been using everyone's weaknesses against them from the start. Threatening the Leaf because Naruto was friends with Ryosuke was the start of it. The curses were the next. Taking away Shikamaru's genius and everyone's strengths were another example. Finally, using Karada to attack the Leaf and everything in between because he felt a small twinge of resentment in the back of his mind which was human. He wasn't a doll. Even if he was compliant, he was still going to feel something inside akin to resentment or anger. It was expected and understandable. The kitsune used that against them. All of them. Even going as far as transforming into a cursed object so Naruto would be unwilling to attack.

Naruto wanted to tear into him. He wanted the fox to suffer. If they let him go, he would only do it again. Caging him wasn't going to be an option either. He could still find a way out. He could possess someone, dig his way out, transform into something and break out that way or he could use illusions to fool people into thinking any number of things. Such as the cage being empty, create a new reality where they were leaving the room and the door was really the lock to his cage. Anything could happen. A kitsune like Oruno was too tricky to cage. Far too dangerous.

"Everything you've done," said Ryosuke, "was wicked. Horrible and deceitful. We cannot let you go. If we do, you will only do this again. Even if it's not to us, you would do this to someone else. Like you said, you can and will do this to anyone. It doesn't matter to you."

Oruno knew he was in trouble. He wasn't getting out of here alive. He would have to fight his way out, but he didn't stand a chance against Ryosuke and his additional tail. He had one more than he did which made him stronger. Naruto only had one and was a good friend of theirs. Maybe if he attacked Naruto or used him as a hostage, he would have a chance.

Moving fast, Oruno spun around with his mouth wide open, going for Naruto's neck. Naruto jerked back, taking the bite on his shoulder instead. He threw his head into Oruno's trying to headbutt him from the side. They moved in a circle, Naruto stepping forward and Oruno stepping back. Naruto snapped at him and Oruno sank his teeth into Naruto's shoulder.

The kitsune snapped and hissed, watching the fight but unable to interfere. It wasn't just because they had to block Oruno's escape routes, it was one of their unwritten laws. In a situation like this, where two kitsune were fighting a chosen opponent, they were not allowed to steal the fight from them. It was the same for when two kitsune were fighting for power. If someone challenged the leader, no one was allowed to help them. It was one-on-one.

All they could do was make noise and watch. Most of the kitsune sounds were jeering. They wanted Naruto to win and were vocally attacking Oruno for hurting him.

Naruto suddenly threw himself forward, taking Oruno down with him. He threw himself into Oruno, causing him to fall back, then pinned him. Oruno kicked and scratched. Naruto and Oruno snapped at each other with their teeth. Blood was starting to spray and mix. Both were getting injured.

Oruno shoved Naruto off and started to run. Naruto chased him down and grabbed one of his tails in his teeth, pulling him back. The fox kicked him with his back legs and tried to escape. Naruto dragged him back and got on top of him. Oruno reached around and bit Naruto's ear. Naruto used his paw and slapped Oruno across the face, drawing blood with his claws. Once Oruno released his hold, Naruto bit Oruno's neck and dragged him down. With the strength of his jaw and neck, Naruto threw Oruno to the ground where he rolled to an uneasy stop in the center of the circle.

He landed at Ryosuke's feet.

Naruto looked at Ryosuke, panting and bleeding. He wasn't going to finish the job. He wasn't going to kill Oruno. He wasn't Naruto's prey. He was Ryosuke's.

Ryosuke had given Naruto Karada to deal with. Oruno was Ryosuke's.

Oruno struggled to his feet and looked at the fox standing over him. "You wouldn't kill your own kind, would you?" he asked in a cocky tone. He didn't believe Ryosuke would truly do it.

"I've had to before when many lives were on the line. If I must, I will do it again."

Oruno chuckled hoarsely. "Really? Isn't that a bit cruel? And you say that I am cruel."

"I gave you a chance," said Ryosuke. "I told you and your partner to leave. I spared your lives. I don't kill unless I have to. For food or protection. When you went after Naruto and his home..."

Naruto lowered his ears. Did Ryosuke regret letting those kitsune go? Did he blame himself for what happened? Maybe Ryosuke was trying to correct a wrong. Maybe he thought letting them live was a mistake and should have killed them when he had the chance.

"Let this be a lesson to you," said Oruno. "You should kill and ask questions later. See what happens when you hesitate? If you had killed us then, none of this would have happened. Don't you feel shameful? What a foolish mistake on your part. And you are their leader? How weak..."

Naruto hissed, defending Ryosuke.

"Kill before there is a problem?" said Ryosuke. "If I thought that way, I would have killed Naruto the second he set foot in our forest the night we met. Meeting Naruto was a blessing. Killing him would have been a real tragedy. So many wonderful things have happened after we met and having known him has brought great things to us and to me. That is why I give chances. They could become a terrible threat or a wonderful friend. If you kill on sight, you will never know. They would have made your life miserable or made it even greater."

Ryosuke was happy to have known Naruto and was grateful to have him as a friend. He was right. After becoming friends, both benefited from the other. Naruto learned a lot from the kitsune and could apply a lot of it to his ninja training. He had made some real friends. The kitsune were blessed as well. If they hadn't met Naruto, they might never have found Reevo, freed the cursed, got the offerings back, buried Seki and Reki's older brother, or convince Ryosuke to become the leader. Many good things happened.

If Ryosuke and the kitsune had attacked him that night, it was possible that none of that could have been made possible. Things could have gotten a lot worse.

"I can't let you go," said Ryosuke. "You kill because it's fun. You are cruel and hateful. Even if you were true to your words and left us in peace, you would move on to someone else and torture them. I've seen you do it. There's more than enough proof. You will make enemies out of anyone."

Oruno chuckled. "Like the humans near the ninja village I tricked into thinking the ones with the leaf marks were bad people. That was my doing. I wanted to make sure Naruto had nowhere to turn. So I turned everyone against him and anyone Karada hadn't caught yet. It was a curse I put on them."

Naruto remembered those people in the village who treated him and Sakura like they were thieves. If what Oruno was saying was true, then the Leaf ninja never attacked them. It was because of a curse. Their curse must have made them see all people baring the symbol of the Leaf as an enemy. That explained things.

However, there was one thing unaccounted for that was bothering Naruto. He had to know the answer.

"I get why you cursed the Hokage," Naruto said to Oruno. "She's the leader of the village and a position of power. I get that. But why Hinata?"

Oruno turned to look at him.

"She was cursed, too. But Hinata isn't the village leader or a powerful person and the clan she belongs to has little to do with you. So why her? Why did you curse Hinata?"

"That young female?" Oruno said, trying to picture the human in his mind. "I cursed her because I thought she was your mate."

Naruto blinked. "M... My what?!"

"Your mate. I figured cursing your mate would really stick it to you. I wanted to torment you as much as possible and I thought that would be a pretty big blow."

"Hinata isn't my mate!"

Oruno looked surprised. "She's not?"

"No! We're not even dating! What would make you think that?"

"The signs I saw and I figured that with her..." Oruno shrugged. "I guess I don't know humans as well as I thought."

"If she felt that way about me, you think I wouldn't notice? What signs were you reading?"

At least he had an explanation.

Once Oruno was defeated, everyone who was under a curse, including Hinata, would be set free. Oruno wasn't going to do it willingly, so there was only one option left.

It was for the best. To protect the mountain, the humans in the town, the Leaf and everywhere else Oruno could get his paws on. This fiasco alone proved just how dangerous one fox could be. They had to put an end to him for the sake of many and to free the cursed. It was the only option.

Oruno wasn't finished yet. "You think I'm going down without a fight? Even if I can't make it past your leader, I will take as many of you down with me as I can. Starting with you!"

Oruno went after Naruto again. He was going to kill him in front of Ryosuke.

Naruto's body reacted automatically. As soon as he saw the fox coming for him, he ducked down, spun on his paws and launched himself straight up into Oruno's stomach. It was a combination of both ninja and fox skills. He didn't even have to think about it.

"I'll kill you!" Oruno screamed. "You and your humans are dead! I'll possess one of them and have him slaughter all of them in front of you! I was going to kill them all anyway after I got the mountain! Including Karada! I was going to kill them all! And all the kitsune of the mountain! Once I kill you, I'll kill the rest of you! You're dead! You hear me? Dead!"

He had nowhere to go. He was desperate. Oruno knew he wasn't going to make it out of here alive. He could only take as many as he could with him before the end.

"You're dead!" Oruno grabbed Naruto with his teeth and pulled him down. While holding Naruto's muzzle with his teeth, Oruno used his front paws to press into Naruto's neck. If it didn't break, he would simply cut off his air and choke him to death.

Naruto couldn't move forward without Oruno's paws going deeper into his throat. If he moved back, his neck would snap. He was in a tough position. Thinking fast, Naruto chose the option that wouldn't kill him as quickly. He moved forward, pressing his neck into Oruno's paws. All his air was cut off and it felt like someone had a brick on his throat. He pushed through the pain and sliced into Oruno's chest with his claws.

Oruno opened his mouth to yelp. When he did, Naruto shifted partly into his human form to grab Oruno by the scruff of his neck. Before he could, he shifted back into his full fox form; this time on purpose. If he was going to win against Oruno, he wanted to throw him off as a kitsune.

Naruto fell onto his back, rolling on his shoulder. He allowed Oruno to be on top, which was dangerous. Now it was easier for him to choke Naruto. He had better access from this position. As Oruno straddled Naruto, pressing his paws further into his neck, Naruto used his back legs to press into Oruno's stomach and flipped him over his head. Oruno went flying over Naruto and into the grass. Naruto coughed and gasped, rolling onto his feet.

Oruno wasn't done. He wasn't going to stop until he was dead.

As Oruno got up for another attack, Ryosuke chomped down on his neck and soaked the ground with his blood. It was a waterfall of red, gushing out of Oruno's throat. Ryosuke didn't stop biting, feeling Oruno still struggling to get free and attack. He wasn't going to let Oruno kill Naruto or anyone else. Ryosuke pushed with his paws while he pulled with his teeth and ripped Oruno's head off his shoulders. Ryosuke dropped him. Oruno's eyes were still open and his head was clinging to his body with a few strands of flesh. He wasn't coming back from that. Oruno was dead.

Naruto let out the breath he had been holding. It felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

It was over. It was finally over.

* * *

Karada yelped, grabbing the cloth wrapped around his waist. It was getting too tight. He worked quickly to untie it but the cloth around his shoulders was starting to shake and constrict as well.

"What the..?" Sakura watched the cloth tremble like a leaf caught in a tornado.

Then suddenly, the cloth changed into two human beings.

Karada scrambled back, gasping in shock.

The cloths were gone and it their place were Hinata and Tsunade.

"Hinata!" Sakura cried. "Milady!"

Both were hunched over on the ground breathing hard. They were slightly disheveled but otherwise seemed unharmed. Hinata was in her night clothes and the Hokage was dressed for work. This matched up with what they had assumed. The Hokage was cursed at her desk and Hinata was cursed at night when she was going to bed.

"Are you both alright?"

"I think so." Tsunade looked around. "Where is everyone else? There were other ninja round, weren't there? What happened to them?"

"They're fine. Everything's ok."

Tsunade tried to stand up but her legs were too shaky.

"Here, let me help you." Sakura offered the Hokage a hand. Both the Hokage and Hinata must have been cursed into cloth from the very beginning. They must have been weak from everything they had to endure and from a lack of food and water.

Other ninja were starting to arrive. Sakura passed the Hokage off to some of the ninja and went back for Hinata. She helped her to her feet and steadied her as she walked slowly away from Karada.

"Lady Hinata!" Neji came running over. "Are you alright? Is she alright?"

Her teammates were there as well. Shino offered her a hand but Neji insisted on helping her himself. Kiba expressed his concern while catering to his injuries.

"Has anyone seen Akamaru around?" he called to anyone who would listen. "Seriously, anyone?"

Sakura looked back into the forest. The fact that Hinata and Tsunade were back meant that Oruno was most likely dead. Which meant that Naruto must have won. She had to find him.

She went into the forest to search. She had to make sure he was ok. If he had any injuries, she had to heal them. She had to make sure it was over. She wanted to congratulate him. She had to see him with her own eyes.

When she caught sight of a fox through the trees she attempted to call out his name but someone touched her shoulder. She turned and saw Kakashi standing next to her. "Kakashi-sensei..."

Kakashi put a finger to his lips. "Give him a minute."

Sakura let out a small breath and faced front again. Kakashi was watching, too.

* * *

There's two chapters left!

Please review! ^-^


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34:**

Naruto looked at the dead kitsune on the ground. Proof that it was over. This was the last of the wicked kitsune who had come to torment him and his village. Everything was going to be alright. It was finally over.

He looked at Ryosuke who was trying to wipe the blood from his mouth. He looked sad, not triumphant. It didn't shock Naruto in the slightest to see him look more sad than proud of killing his own kind.

It had to be done. Ryosuke was the one who had to do it. The kitsune threatened him and his home first. Oruno was his enemy even more than he was Naruto's. Ryosuke had to do it to protect his pack and the humans whose lives would be in danger. It would have been wrong for Naruto to kill Oruno and not Ryosuke. It would have been like doing the work for him. It was Ryosuke's responsibility, not Naruto's. Ryosuke was the leader which made it even more his responsibility.

"Ryosuke..." Naruto wanted to comfort him but he wasn't sure what to say.

The leader turned around and looked at him.

For a long time, they stared at each other, eye to eye. Blue meeting green.

Ryosuke turned away from Oruno's body and approached Naruto. He looked so big and powerful compared to him. Intimidating and comforting. A protector and leader. A friend. When Ryosuke stood over him, Naruto gave in to his feelings and bowed his head in respect.

If Naruto was a member of their pack, then that made Ryosuke his leader, too. His instincts have been telling him to bow to Ryosuke but he kept resisting. Now he couldn't. He was bowing to him.

Ryosuke touched his shoulder with his paw. "My friend..."

Naruto lifted his head. In Ryosuke's eyes, there was no hint of someone trying to gain his respect or demanding to be seen as an authority. They were the eyes of a concerned friend. Someone who didn't see himself above others, but one who saw them as equals.

"Are you alright?"

Naruto nodded his head. "Yeah."

Ryosuke looked at the blood oozing from the wounds on Naruto's body. He would live, but he was still hurt. Ryosuke lowered his head and licked his wounds.

The kitsune moved closer.

Naruto looked and saw himself surrounded by furry faces. All silently asking after him and showing him love.

Ryosuke lifted his head and looked at him with kind eyes. Naruto nuzzled him and Ryosuke nuzzled back.

"Thanks," Naruto said to him. To all of them. "Thanks for everything. Thanks for coming and for... for everything."

"I couldn't let my friend be in danger like that. I had to help. The enemy was as much yours as they were mine. If you were targeted as well..."

"Thanks." Naruto didn't need to hear anymore and he didn't want to say anymore. It didn't have to be spoken with words. They knew when they had contact.

They parted and smiled at each other. Ryosuke might have been the leader, but he was a friend first. Bowing or not, Naruto always respected him.

"It's over now," said Sonar. "That was the only one left. Your home should be safe now."

"And all those people. Your people. The ninja."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for that."

"We didn't do a lot of damage," said Aurora. "I only bit when I had to and never drew any blood."

"Most of us used illusions so we didn't have to hurt any humans," said Ishi.

"Ryosuke didn't hurt any at all. No fangs or claws or nothing. Just him being great," said Egao proudly.

"He wanted to leave the mountain to help you and we offered to come along," said Lunabell. "You're a member of our pack, too. We would always help out a friend."

Sammi cleared his throat. "Speaking of which... There's one more thing that has to be taken care of." He looked at Seki. "I believe you're the only one who can do it."

"Oh, right. The curse," said Seki. "I can take it back now." Seki looked at Naruto with curious eyes. "That is... if you want to."

Naruto's ears twitched. "I can stay part kitsune if I want?"

Seki nodded. "It's up to you. I can remove the curse or you can keep it." Seki looked to the side then back at Naruto. "But... it is still a curse. Remember that."

A curse that he loved. He felt free as a fox. He had a lot of fun. Even with all the problems, he still enjoyed it. His skills had improved since his training with the kitsune in the mountain. It would be a shame to get rid of those powers now that he had gotten so much better at it. It wouldn't be a total loss, though. He could apply what he learned to his ninja training. He had been doing that and those skills have gotten better, too.

He looked around at all the foxy faces staring at him expectantly. All those supportive, trusting, loving faces.

He loved being one of them. He loved being with them. They were his friends and they welcomed him as part of their pack. Should he make it official by staying a kitsune?

Ryosuke accepted him first even before he was a fox. The others got to know him and accepted him as well. When he was a human, they were still his friends. Being a kitsune had nothing to do with it. True friendship had no shape.

Being one of them meant so much to him.

However...

"Sorry. I can't." Naruto gave them a bittersweet smile. "As much as I love being a kitsune, and I really do love it, it would be a lie. I wasn't born a kitsune. I was born a human. And to be one of you by a curse... it would be false. A trick."

They didn't seem too upset with his answer. They accepted it.

"Sorry," Naruto said again. "I have to be the me I was born. But I will always be a kitsune at heart. " Naruto chuckled. "Now that I think about it, maybe I always have been. I'm pretty fox-like even as a human. I always loved pulling pranks and even my friends say I look kind of like a fox. So..."

"I don't care if you are a fox," said Ryosuke. "I care that you are my friend."

The kitsune agreed.

Knowing that they still accepted him made Naruto very happy.

Seki removed the curse and Naruto grew back to his human size and shape. He tried changing into a fox but it wouldn't work no matter what he tried. The curse was gone.

"You're still one of us, Naruto," said Seki. "No matter how you look."

The kitsune agreed, nodding their heads and murmuring kind words.

Naruto smiled at them, but his vision was blurring slightly. He must have had tears in his eyes.

"Kitsune have sensitive hearts," said Ryosuke. "But even as a human, you have a kind and sensitive heart. That's good. You'll need it."

Naruto nodded to him.

Ryosuke looked at the kitsune. "We will return to the mountain. We're no longer needed here. Naruto has his village back and all its people. He has to go home and so do we."

They were leaving.

Naruto didn't want to see them go. Parting with such good friends was always painful. Parting with them seemed even harder for some reason. He felt connected with them. Like family.

The Leaf was his home. He couldn't leave it. He couldn't say good-bye to all his human friends. So he had to part with the kitsune.

"Parting is never easy, Naruto." Ryosuke was talking directly to him. "But we've been through this once before."

"It doesn't get easier." Naruto sniffled quietly. He didn't want to cry but he couldn't help it. So far the tears remained in his eyes but he wasn't sure for how long.

The kitsune pressed closely together, nuzzling him in farewell. This time, they were all here to bid him farewell. During their last departure, they were calling to him from the top of the mountain. Now he could feel their warm fur against his human skin and hear their words as they rubbed their bodies against him. Naruto gave Seki an extra long hug and thanked him for all he had done. He stroked and pet them all and they started to leave.

Naruto watched them walk to the trees then stop and wait for their leader. They watched in silence as Ryosuke approached.

Naruto and Ryosuke faced each other.

"It's never easy," said Ryosuke.

He wasn't just talking about saying good-bye. He was also talking about being a leader. Killing a fellow kitsune. Making choices.

"You are a great leader, Ryosuke."

He smiled at Naruto. "Only because you believed in me when I didn't. I have plenty to thank you for as well."

Ryosuke nuzzled Naruto's neck and Naruto put his arms around Ryosuke in a hug.

He had no idea if or when he would ever feel this fur again. This could have been their last time together and that thought brought more tears to his eyes.

Ryosuke put his paw on Naruto's knee. "With your heart, strength and determination, you will make a great leader as well. I believe that. Just like you believed in me when I didn't. I never thought I could be a good leader."

"But you are a great one. I know there are tough choices you have to make and things to do but every leader has to go through that. When I become Hokage, I'll have some tough choices to make, too."

Ryosuke rested his muzzle on Naruto's shoulder. "Even after I had become leader, I often wondered if the choices I would have to make would change me. Like having to kill to protect my family. I only kill when I have to. When the threat is too great to let go. I gave Oruno a chance and he came after you. After that I started thinking it was a mistake. That I should have killed him and Mikale when I had the chance. To save you all the trouble they put you through."

"You gave him a chance. Just like you gave me a chance. You didn't know." Naruto hugged him tighter. "It's not your fault. And we made it through. It's ok now. Sometimes, ninja have to kill, too. If you didn't kill Oruno, I would have had to."

Ryosuke nodded against his shoulder. "I know that." He sniffled. "The thing that gives me confidence is our friendship. You believed I would be a good leader. You said I should look after them. Things have gotten better for us because you put your faith in me. And honestly... I don't think I could ever become someone else entirely. Not if you saw something great in me."

He believed in himself because Naruto believed in him.

"Now I think to myself whenever I start to wonder if I could change... if it will be into something you would be ashamed of. Something I would think of as an enemy."

Naruto hugged Ryosuke close. "The thing is... people can change. Sometimes, it's for the better. You changed a little. You became more confident in yourself."

"Only because you had faith in me where I had doubt. Sometimes, I still have doubt."

"Everyone does. It's when you get arrogant that it becomes a problem. Everything you do, all these tough choices, are for the ones you love. You're not like those other kitsune. You actually don't want to hurt humans. You have love. And your pack trusts you. They look to you. Someone who has the kind of following and love that you have, can't possible become evil."

Ryosuke licked Naruto's face. "I promised myself I would never become someone you or any of my friends who be ashamed of. I want to live up to your expectations. I want to be a good leader and stay true to myself."

"I'm not worried about you at all, Ryosuke." Naruto rested his head on Ryosuke's shoulder, inhaling the smell of his fur. He felt safe with Ryosuke. If he was truly a danger, he wouldn't have felt this way. He was confident in his friend.

"We have to go," Ryosuke whispered.

"I know."

He didn't want them to leave. He tried to hold on as long as possible.

They parted.

Ryosuke stood in front of Naruto, smiling. He had sad eyes. He didn't want to part from him either.

"We parted before and saw each other again." Naruto tried to think positive at this sad moment.

"That's right. We did." Rysouke smiled. "So we will see each other again one day."

"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "This is not good-bye."

Ryosuke nodded back. "Stay true, Naruto."

"I will." He forced himself to smile. "Take care."

With one final look, Ryosuke turned and dashed away. The kitsune saw him heading their way and parted, giving him space to move. Then they in turn followed, running after him. Ryosuke's three tails became their refuge. They followed him with respect and love into the forest and out of sight.

Naruto stood and listened, hoping to hear them one final time. The rustling soon ended and all he heard was nothing.

They were gone but not from his heart.

Naruto wiped his tears away, remembering everything they had done for him. He would miss them with all his heart.

"This has been one hell of a mission..."

"Naruto?"

He turned around and saw Sakura peering at him from behind a fallen tree. He waved at her, a teardrop lingering on his eyelashes.

"Are you ok?" she asked sympathetically.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Naruto wiped his last remaining tear away and stood up tall. "There's just one more thing left."

Sakura followed him back to where Karada was sitting. He was still alone. Now he didn't even have his cloth to help support him. Cloth that turned out to be cursed human beings. It was explained that the reason why Naruto and no one else could cut it was because of the manipulation jutsu it was under. The technique made the fabric very tough and durable. This was good news for the cursed people transformed into the cloth. The jutsu might have been the only thing protecting them for being killed whenever someone tried to cut it.

"Karada."

He looked up at Naruto. He still didn't have the strength to stand.

"You know what happened wasn't your fault, right?" he told him. "The fox cursed you into doing those things. Feeling those things. No one can blame you."

"I'm still sorry I did it," said Karada.

Naruto looked into the forest behind Karada. It was a wide open path. All the ninja were in the other direction. If Karada wanted to escape, no one would notice. Naruto still felt what the Leaf had done to Karada wasn't justified. Curse or no curse, he could understand Karada's feelings.

"Everyone knows it's the fox to blame and not you. You still haven't done anything wrong," Naruto said. "If you want to... you could leave."

Sakura looked at him in surprise.

Karada looked at him as well.

"You could be free. You don't have to be locked in a tiny cell anymore. You can go anywhere you want. You haven't done anything so they have no reason or right to hold you. This time, you do have a choice."

Karada looked into the forest behind him. He couldn't see where it ended. A wide open space for him to explore. Alone. Even in a cell he was alone. The only different was the amount of space. And possibilities. He could find a new village, a new home and stay there. He didn't have to be in a cage anymore.

Karada turned away from the forest and looked at the ground. "I think... I would rather go back to my cell."

Both Naruto and Sakura were surprised by his answer.

"What?" Naruto was a bit shocked. "Why? You haven't done anything. There's no reason you should..."

Karada shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I would rather go back to my cell. I am still serving my sentence. I should go back."

"Just because they said you should..."

"Not just that," said Karada. "I can see now that they were right to do it. I am dangerous. My jutsu is a serious threat."

"But it's not your fault," Naruto argued. "You didn't do anything."

"No, but a weapon can be used in different ways. I can see now that they weren't just worried about how I would choose to use my powers, but how someone else would choose to use me."

Naruto had nothing to say. He realized that Karada was right.

"The higher-ups were afraid. I always thought it was because of what I could do. Now I see that there is another side to it. They were also afraid someone could use me. Like that fox curse manipulating me like that. Making me do such things I would never normally do. Jutsu like that exists. I've studied many. Mind manipulation and all sorts of other jutsu that can take control of me and make me do things. I might not use my jutsu, but someone could forced me to do it against my will. I see that now. I really was locked up for my own good. If ninja really are tools like we were taught, then tools can become bad in the hands of bad people. It depends on who's wielding us. I'm better off in my cell away from such people. Everyone, including myself, are safer with me locked in a cell."

Karada was going to sacrifice his own freedom for the sake of the village and its people. He would rather be in a cell than out where someone could use him. It was better to be locked in a drawer than on a shelf within easy reach.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Naruto asked.

Karada nodded. "It's for the best. Besides, it's not like I could survive on my own out here. I'm the weakest ninja there is. It's my jutsu that makes me strong."

He held his shoulder as if he were very cold.

"I became strong so I could help the village. Now because of my strength, I'm a threat to it."

"Only because of someone's choice," said Naruto. "You can do great things. Don't be mad at yourself."

"That's one reason why I'm in a cell. I'll sit there until someone has use of me." Karada gave a weak smile. "It's not all bad. I still enjoy life. I've had some nice conversations with people through the flap in my door. And sometimes, I am needed and they let me out to help. I really don't mind being in a cell. You get used to it. I don't need a lot of space. I can't run and if I walk for too long I get winded. Most of the time I'm confined to a bed anyway. Being in a cell is no different from being in my old room. Only now I don't have to worry about combat training or other ninja pushing me down for laughs. That only happened once and my sensei punished them for it."

"So being in a cell is what you want? For the sake of the village?" Sakura asked. She could understand why it wasn't a big deal for him. Karada was frail so it wasn't like he could go anywhere or do anything. A small cell was good for him.

Karada nodded his head. "It's for the best. I don't want the Leaf to suffer. I want to help it. And if being locked up is the only way, then I will. Like I said, I'm too weak for anything else. A cell is perfect for me." Karada tried to stand up but he couldn't. "I just want to help the village. That's all I ever wanted. I wanted to be strong enough to do something. Something good."

Naruto stepped closer and helped pull Karada to his feet. "You are a strong ninja," he told him. He drew Karada's arm over his shoulders and walked him over to the rest of the ninja.

Karada sacrificed so much for his home. He had been through a lot and it never destroyed him. Naruto knew Karada was a strong ninja. A strong ninja who couldn't even throw a punch.

* * *

When Naruto brought Karada to the other ninja, both were surprised by the crowd scrambling about. Many ninja were injured and being seen by any ninja, medical or not, who were able to move. Several ninja were looking after Tsunade who insisted she was fine and all she needed was some sake. Kiba and Akamaru were reunited with laughter and a wagging tail. Hinata seemed to be doing fine, surrounded by her friends, all asking after her and if she needed anything. Other ninja were calling orders to each other and pointing.

"Any ninja able to stand, see to those who can't. Any able ninja needs to help find the injured and get them help. I want a head-count, people! We need to make sure everyone is accounted for."

Kakashi was one of the ninja helping and calling people over to assist. Everyone was so organized. Even Gaara was making sure his ninja were accounted for. He wanted everyone gathered together so they could journey home. His siblings kept following him around, asking him questions and begging him to sit down and rest. Now that he was back to normal, there was not a trace of animal anywhere, mental or physical. Gaara was his usual self again.

"I can help," said Sai.

"Me, too." Shikamaru stepped forward. "Is Karada doing alright? Is he... ok?"

"Back to normal. Wouldn't hurt a fly, even if he could." Naruto passed him off to his friends. "He can't walk on his own. I think I wore him down when we fought."

"I think under the curse, Karada was forced to push himself harder than he should have," said Sakura. "I think the kitsune wanted it that way. He didn't care what happened to Karada, so he made him unwilling to stop and fight beyond his limit. That must have caused his body a lot of stress. That could also explain why he's so weak. Like running on sore muscles in your legs. After a while, you can't walk anymore and you drop."

"Maybe you should take a look at him," suggested Shikamaru. "You're a medic."

"I'll do what I can." Now that Karada was no longer an enemy, Sakura was much more willing to take care of him and his injuries.

Naruto left Karada in their care and wandered around to see if there was anything he could do.

"Once everyone is gathered together, we can start making perpetration for the return. A lot of people can't move right now. They'll need help."

Kakashi was helping out as well. "The Hokage has been found but she's a bit weak right now. We need to organize how we're going to do this. The Leaf Village is pretty far from where we are now. I suppose some of us will have to carry others. Where's Yamato? He could make a cart using his wood style to help transport the injured and weak."

"The ninja from the Sand Village are here as well. Should we offer them assistance?"

"If they need help then help them. Why do you need to ask permission for something like that?"

"Is everyone accounted for yet?"

"I think so. Do another head count. Then report to the Hokage and get her word on the subject."

Naruto tried to help his sensei. He offered to find Yamato for him or ask the Hokage their questions.

Ino sneaked up behind Shikamaru and slapped him in the back of the head. "Sneaky... Pretending to be controlled by the jutsu like the rest of us."

"Ow! Hey, I didn't want to get involved but things were getting bad. I didn't want to be effected like the rest of you so I had to blend in to fool everyone including the enemy. No offense, Karada."

"None taken."

"Still..." Ino folded her arms. "I'm surprised you ran off as much as you did. Actually, I can't really say that since you love avoiding a fight. I thought you got better at it and grew up a little."

"I didn't just do it to avoid a fight. I mean I did because it's hard to fight friends who want to kill you and won't hold back. That's a given."

"But there's another reason? What's that?"

Shikamaru looked away when he answered. "I did it for Naruto."

"For Naruto?"

He nodded. "With his fox curse and all, I didn't want to risk his instincts taking over. Animals will fight like hell when they're cornered. Fight or flight type of thing. A fox will kill if it means getting out alive and I didn't want to risk Naruto being unable to stop himself if it came to that. So I wanted him out of there as much as possible so he wouldn't get overwhelmed and have his instincts take effect. He was cursed, you know."

"Oh, that makes sense," Ino said. "Ok. I see what you mean."

"Hey, Ino, can you help me out here?" called Tenten. "This guy has some cuts. Can you treat him? It doesn't look too bad but we don't want it infected."

"Coming." Ino stepped away.

Sakura looked at Shikamaru. "Why didn't you tell her it was also because of what happened at the mountain? When Naruto got out of control?"

Shikamaru kept his head down. "She doesn't need to know. No one does."

He was trying to spare everyone. Even Naruto. He didn't want people looking at him like a monster or a threat. Shikamaru had enough of that on this mission. Besides, he didn't think anyone needed to know about that. It was over and done with.

There were many reasons why Shikamaru did what he did on this mission. Naruto's situation, not wanting to fight friends. Even the thought of his departed Sensei prompted him to make some of those choices. He had been on several dangerous missions that nearly resulted in losing a friend. One mission claimed the life of Asuma. Because of the event and its impact, Shikamaru did not want to lose anyone else if he could help it.

That was in his heart, influencing some of the choices he made. His mind was responsible for the other choices he made and knowing which moves to make and why. Though he did not admit it out loud, he had a feeling Ino already knew that their Sensei had a tiny bit to do with some of his choices when it came to this particular battle. He didn't want to charge in and fight if it could result in someone getting killed. With Naruto in the state that he was and their friends being the way they were at the time, he was fearful that someone could end up killed.

Despite all the complaints, Shikamaru felt he had made the right call. Naruto and Sakura knew it as well. It might have taken a while, but everything had worked out for the best. They were safe and could return home together.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up, hearing a sound. They looked around, trying to find it. They murmured to each other in confusion, wondering aloud what it could have been.

A certain blond ninja looked up at the call. His heart pounded in his chest. He stood facing the hill above them where the trees began to thin and tilt, growing away from the hill. Rocks covered in moss jetted out of the hill in places, making natural footholds. Someone stood atop that hill and howled to the sky for all to hear.

"Narutooooooooooo!"

His heart soared.

Ryosuke was saluting him in a final farewell.

Naruto could feel the meaning of that call in his heart. It brought tears to his eyes again. Though the people standing around might not have understood it, he did. It was as if Ryosuke not only wanted Naruto to hear it, but he wanted the humans to know what he had done for them. How important Naruto was.

There was so much they had been through, so much they learned, so much they felt.

Ryosuke looked magnificent against the morning sky.

It might not have been his mountain he was standing atop when he gave the call, but he was still where everyone could see him. High above everyone, making him look truly important and powerful. He looked like a leader.

Naruto saw him as a friend first. Even now, he saw him as a friend, praising him. Thanking him. Loving him. Remembering him. Honoring him.

That howl sent a shiver up his spine and made his lip tremble with sadness and joy.

Ryosuke stopped howling and looked down. Everyone was looking at him, but his eyes were focused on the blond ninja looking up at him with teary eyes.

"Take care, Ryosuke," Naruto said quietly, but he knew Ryosuke could hear him. "I believe in you, too."

Message received, Ryosuke smiled one final time and turned away, disappearing.

The ninja were in awe at the sight of the three-tailed fox. Then they started pointing at the foxes hurrying up the hill and after the three-tails. One of them stopped and looked back. Gaara caught his eye and the two looked at each other for a long time. Then Gaara nodded once and the two-tailed fox nodded back and followed the others away and back to their home.

Naruto sniffled and wiped his tears away. This time, they did fall. He had never heard Ryosuke howl his name so beautifully before. There was so much emotion in it, such passion and meaning...

"You know," Kakashi said, standing beside Naruto. "I always believed you were worth betting everything on, Naruto. You never give up and you have heart. I believe that it's your passion and heart that allows you to fight hard and believe in others. To make real connections. You understand bonds and you know that it can't be explained or described in words. It's felt in here."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

"I'm not as close to them as you are, but I think I understood a good part of that message."

He sniffled. "I'll miss them. But I told Ryosuke we would see each other again."

"Yup," said Kakashi. "When you become leader, too. Obviously Ryosuke believes in you like you did in him. After all, I'm seeing a lot of good traits in you that would make an excellent Hokage."

"Really, Sensei?" Naruto's eyes were sparkling.

"Yeah. I can see that happening."

"For real? You do? Really?"

"Uh-huh. And you know one of the traits in you that would really help you become Hokage?"

"What? What?"

"Helping me round up the injured and carry them back to the village." Kakashi patted Naruto's head roughly.

Naruto frowned. "That's not a trait! And you want me to do that for you!"

"I never said that but thanks for volunteering."

Naruto pulled Kakashi back by his wrist. "Oh, no, you don't! You are not sticking me with everything while you run off somewhere! I'm worn out from the battle, too! I can't do it all."

"Use some of those clones of yours."

"Kakashi-sensei! Get back here and help! I'm willing but you have to do it, too!"

"Another trait of being a great Hokage is not whining."

"I'm not whining!"

* * *

The last chapter is up next!

Please review! ^-^


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35:**

"Dad! Dad!"

The bedroom door swung open and the fast pitter-patter of bare feet on the wooden floorboards went straight for the large bed on the other side of the room.

"Dad! Dad, get up! Hurry!"

Naruto felt someone pulling on his sleeve and turned away with a moan. The pulling grew more persistent. He tried to shake it off but that only made the pulling more desperate.

"Boruto..!" Naruto whined sleepily, covering his eyes with his other arm. "Bother your mother. Bother your mother!"

"Get up now, you lazy, stupid idiot!" Boruto punched his father hard in the ribs with the side of his hand.

"Ow!" Naruto rolled away, curling into a ball. "Knock it off, you little brat. Let me sleep. Dad's had a hard day."

Boruto wouldn't take no for an answer. He pulled the blanket off both his parents and onto the floor.

"I think our son wants your attention," Hinata whispered.

"If he had a bad dream, you handle it. I'm tired."

"Get up!" Boruto pulled the pillow out from under Naruto's head and started beating him with it. "Get up! Hurry!" Boruto pulled the collar of Naruto's shirt, choking him. "Get up! Get up!"

He couldn't take it for another second. Naruto rolled over and faced his child. "What?!"

Boruto stopped and pointed into the hall. "There's something outside my window!"

Naruto rolled onto his back, rubbing his sore neck. "Sure you weren't having a dream?"

"It wasn't a dream and it's still there! Hurry up!" Boruto yanked Naruto's arm roughly. "Hurry up and do something, stupid!"

"I swear... one of these days..."

"Some Hokage you are! Our family's in danger and you're too lazy to do something about it."

"Fine, fine." Naruto didn't think it was anything serious. If there was a threat to the village, someone would have noticed it and things wouldn't be this quiet. Humoring his son, Naruto got out of bed. He picked the blanket off the floor and covered his wife. "I got this. Stay here."

He followed Boruto out of the room, into the hall and into another bedroom. Boruto led the way until they got to his room. Then he hid behind his father and shoved him forward, pressing his small hands into the back of Naruto's thighs. Boruto was still young, his height barely to Naruto's waist and unable to use any jutsu yet. Even so, Boruto was, not unlike his father, very loud and determined.

Usually, if there was a problem, Boruto would try to solve it himself. Throwing rocks or using his fists or making verbal threats. Boruto would only call for one of his parents if he was certain he couldn't handle it on his own using his normal methods. He would only hide behind his parents if he were truly frightened.

Seeing Boruto shove him forward meant either the situation was serious or he wanted his father to get hurt in his place. Naruto approached the window, thinking his son had seen a ninja on patrol or a balloon caught in a branch and got spooked. He looked back at his son. Boruto was standing behind him, unwilling to get any closer. He had a stern look on his face, his eyes moving from his father to the window, urging him to look. Naruto opened the window and looked outside.

Boruto braced himself, just in case whatever it was came flying inside. He watched his father carefully. So far, nothing was happening. Not a sound or a flash or anything.

Then he heard his father laugh.

It wasn't a mocking laugh, like Naruto was making fun of him. It was a joyful laugh.

"Ryosuke."

Standing outside his window was the kitsune from a long time ago. He had grown somewhat and looked even more magnificent than before. His fur had a slight glow to it and his green eyes looked like bright lanterns in the night. Adding to his magnificence were two additional tails. Ryosuke was now sporting five tails which he wagged with pride and great joy.

"Hello, Naruto."

Naruto smiled at him. "It's been a long time."

"It has." Ryosuke looked him up and down. "I see some things have changed. You've gotten taller."

"And you got some new tails."

Ryosuke nodded, waving them against the sky. "I've been thinking about you a lot lately. So I came for a visit. Your scent was all over this place so I figured this was your dwelling. What's happened since we last saw each other?" he asked.

"I became Hokage," Naruto said proudly. "So now I'm the leader of the village."

"That's wonderful. I knew you would do it. Judging from the peace, I take it you're a good one."

"Yeah, pretty much," Naruto gloated.

They laughed together. It seemed like nothing had changed. They were still good friends.

"What about things with the kitsune?" Naruto asked. "How are things at the mountain?"

"Great," said Ryosuke. "We have a new generation. There are pups to take care of now. We're all chipping in."

"That's great news."

"The offerings are still around. It really helps when it comes to feeding everyone. Some of the pups are learning how to hunt but they haven't caught anything yet. So the offerings are the only meal they can really get until they get better. And speaking of a new generation, the prince got married and has a son."

"Really? Wow. So he's the king now, isn't he?"

"Yes. But I still have a habit of calling him the prince, though that is no longer true. Habit. I remember him when he was just the prince so it's hard to change that."

"Did you see his kid? The new prince?"

"Yes. Once. When I was meeting with the, uh, king... his son caught sight of me. He was very impressed. The king told me how awed his son was when he saw me the first time. He wants to see more kitsune. He tells me how his son stays up some nights with a flashlight and shines it out his window, hoping to see one of us." Ryosuke chuckled. "The king told him that we all live on the mountain so now he wants to go there and see us. I think we might have trouble with this one. It would be dangerous for him to try climbing a mountain, especially at night. Thankfully, he's not allowed to leave the grounds, but one day he might sneak out."

"I'm sure you'll look out for him if he does."

"And speaking of little ones..." Ryosuke peered at the child hiding behind Naruto. "Is that one yours?"

Naruto looked back at his son. "Yeah. His name's Boruto. I have a daughter, too, but she's in bed. She's the good one."

Boruto kicked his father.

"I see. So you have a mate as well. Wonderful."

"Do you have a mate?" Naruto asked Ryosuke.

"No, not yet. But Aurora mated with Sonar. A couple other kitsune in our group have paired off as well. Aurora's pups are able to hunt now and bring back mice from time to time."

"That's nice. And things in the mountain are ok as well?"

"Splendid," said Ryosuke. "There haven't been any threats for years and the humans are all safe. Trades have gone well, too, I hear. Things have been going very well. And your village is doing well, too, I take it."

"It's been peaceful," said Naruto.

Naruto and Ryosuke chatted for a long time. As they spoke, Boruto became more daring and got closer. Whenever Ryosuke would look his way, Boruto would hide behind Naruto. He wondered why his father was able to speak so easily to this creature. He felt intimidated by it. It was like talking to a great and powerful spirit. Boruto had never seen anything like Ryosuke before and didn't know what to do. It was a bit scary finding him outside his window, looking in. He could only imagine the things this fox was capable of. It was like stumbling upon a bear in the woods while walking alone without a weapon, only far greater.

Boruto didn't know what to make of this feeling. He didn't know what it was. It wasn't quite fear or shyness. He couldn't describe it. Just the kitsune's very presence commanded respect and awe. That's the way it seemed to Boruto. Why his father wasn't effected that way was beyond him.

Naruto was still awed by Ryosuke only not as much mostly due to the fact that he knew him before he had become this great. Naruto saw Ryosuke as a friend first.

"So many years, huh?" Naruto still couldn't believe he hadn't seen his fox friend since the incident when he was a teenager.

"Yeah. Things have been busy. I finally managed to sneak away tonight. I had been thinking about you for a long time and wanted to visit you."

"I've been wanting to visit you, too," said Naruto. "But I can't really leave the village. Plus I have a family and..."

"We have responsibilities," Ryosuke finished. "I know. It's hard sometimes, isn't it? There's so much we have to do. We have to look after a lot of people."

"Yeah."

They stared at each other for a while, communicating without words. Neither had really changed from who they were the last time they met. They were both caring, compassionate, strong and loyal. The mountain was thriving and so was the town. The Leaf was in great shape as well. Both were great leaders. They thought of each other, even to this day. They had helped the other get stronger in more ways than one.

"I'm glad I got to see you again, Ryosuke. I've missed you. And everyone."

"We often speak of you," Ryosuke said. "I'm glad I got to see you again and catch up."

"I knew we would see each other again." Naruto gave him a smile.

Ryosuke nodded, smiling back. Then he looked at the sky. "I had better get back to my home. I can't be gone for too long."

"I understand."

Ryosuke stood tall. "Naruto."

"Ryosuke."

"I will see you again."

"Same here. You never know. We might want to do business with the king of your land. But with you guys around, you might not need ninja. But the Leaf can do other business with you guys."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Any excuse to visit."

Ryosuke smiled.

Then Ryosuke bowed his head.

Naruto stared at him, stunned and honored. Ryosuke was bowing to him. He was showing Naruto respect. As a fellow leader. Before, Naruto had the urge to bow to him. However, Ryosuke had no reason to bow to him. They were friends and treated each other as such, with nuzzles and licks and playful antics. Bowing was different. You bowed to leaders.

Naruto inhaled, honor swelling within him.

They were equals.

Naruto bowed his head to Ryosuke.

They lifted their heads and smiled. Ryosuke stepped closer to the window and nuzzled his friend. Naruto hugged him in return.

"See you again, Naruto."

"Take care, Ryosuke."

They smiled at each other one final time, then Ryosuke turned and dashed away. Naruto watched him, leaning out the window. Ryosuke moved so elegantly and swiftly. He looked like a spirit. He leaped from building to building with ease, never touching the ground and disappeared into the distance.

Boruto was staring after him as well, his eyes wide with amazement. "Hey, Dad, who was that?"

Naruto smiled and patted his son on the head gently. "A very good friend from a long time ago."

* * *

Ryosuke ran to the Hokage monument behind the large building which also had Naruto's scent all over it. He looked at the monument for a moment then sprinted towards it. He jumped from the building he was on and ran up the side of the rocky surface. He kept climbing until he got to the top and stood on the carving for Naruto's face. He admired it for a moment, then, deciding this was the perfect place, threw back his head and howled.

"Narutooooooooo!"

His call echoed over the village.

Some slept through the salute and others awoke.

Kakashi woke up and looked out the window. He could hear the long howl and smiled, turning over. "Sounds like he came back for a visit."

Sai sat up in his bed and looked out the window. He couldn't see the monument from his position so he got out of bed and climbed onto the roof. He faced the monument and stared. The image of Ryosuke standing atop the carving of Naruto's face against the night sky was a glorious sight. The howl he gave felt like a tribute to the Hokage. Expressing his love and joy and gratitude to Naruto. Sai couldn't pass this up. It was a perfect opportunity, and Ryosuke's image and emotional howl inspired him. Sai pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and made a quick sketch of what he saw before Ryosuke left. In the morning he would paint it and try to give it the same emotion and beauty he saw in this moment. He hoped it would do it justice.

Sakura threw a pillow over her head and tried to get back to sleep. That howl was so annoying. Normally dogs wouldn't howl like this late at night. Now that she thought about it, it didn't sound like a dog howling. It sounded like a name. Sakura jumped out of bed and looked out her window. She remembered this howl. It had been years but she remembered it. "Isn't that Naruto's friend? That kitsune?"

Shikamaru was getting a drink from the kitchen when he heard it. He put the glass in the sink and hurried to the window. He climbed onto the roof and looked at the monument. There was Ryosuke, howling Naruto's name while standing atop the monument. He was honoring his friend. That howl expressed so much emotion and memory. "I guess that's what a bond sounds like," Shikamaru said to himself.

"Shikamaru, what is that?" asked his wife from inside. Temari had heard the howl through the open window and woke up. "It's going to wake our son."

"That kid can sleep through anything. Don't worry about it." He wanted to listen. It had been so long since he had heard this sound. He wondered if Naruto could hear it and what he was feeling right now.

Naruto stopped and listened. He closed his eyes for a moment and smiled. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Did you hear it?" asked Hinata when he got back to their room. "I remember hearing that howl from a long time ago. It's nice, isn't it?"

"Yeah," said Naruto. "It's powerful."

"Wasn't that one of the foxes? I remember seeing a bunch of them after my curse was broken. One of them howled just like that."

"That was Ryosuke. He came for a visit."

"How nice."

Naruto climbed into bed beside her and Hinata covered him with the blanket. She snuggled close to his chest and Naruto held her hand.

"You seem to be in a great mood," she told him. "I take it your visit went well. I'm glad."

"So am I. I'm really glad I saw him again. Even if it wasn't very long."

"It didn't have to be."

Naruto agreed. "You're right."

When there was a strong bond between friends, words weren't needed to understand each other.

Ryosuke ended his howl and looked over the village. Naruto's village. Now it was time for him to return to his home. Ryosuke took in a deep breath and jumped from the monument. He landed on a roof, jumped from building to building and out the front gate.

Someone was blocking his path. It was Naruto again. "Just one more thing before you go." Naruto took something out from behind his back and handed it to Ryosuke.

It was a peach.

"I thought about it after you left. So I took it from the counter and decided to catch up to give it to you."

Such a thing seemed like a poor prize, but to a kitsune, it was a wonderful gift. They valued food more than gold. What would they do with money anyway?

"Thanks." Ryosuke took the peach from Naruto's hand.

"Don't be a stranger," said the clone and vanished.

Ryosuke looked back into the village. All was quiet but he knew Naruto was still there, thinking about him and remembering. Maybe he would tell his children stories about the kitsune of the mountain, the same why Ryosuke spoke fondly of Naruto to the younger generation or just reminiscing with the others who had welcomed Naruto as one of them.

Even if they couldn't see each other, they were always there. In their hearts and in their memories. Most of all, in what they had learned from each other and what they took away from the bond that they shared. True friends would always be there. Somehow, someway.

Ryosuke held the peach in the teeth and ran down the path into the forest. Once he picked up enough speed, his paws left the earth and carried him into the sky. He ran through the air like a spirit from a dream back to his kitsune in the mountain.

* * *

The end!

I hope you enjoyed it. There were many ways I wanted to do this story but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Thank you all for reading and please review! ^-^


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